Calcium and weight loss
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Middle-aged women taking > 500 mg of calcium daily had a ten-year weight gain of 5.1 kg compared to 6.9 kg among nonusers, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Alejandro Gonzalez, University of Washington, Seattle, et al., used retrospective data to assess the relationship between calcium intake and weight change among 10,591 adults age 53-57 during an 8-12 year period. Linear regression was used to model associations of a 10-year weight change and calcium intake, adjusted for the subjects' weight at age 45 years, energy intake, physical activity, and other factors. The results show that calcium intake was associated with weight change only in women. Trends were similar for total calcium intake from diet plus supplements. Dietary calcium alone showed no significant effect on 10-year weight change. The study suggests calcium supplements "may have a small beneficial influence on reducing weight gain, particularly among women approaching midlife," authors conclude...