Daily HealthBeat Tip

Had breakfast?

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

A solid breakfast may give girls more than energy to start their day. One researcher says girls who don't get their calcium from milk with their breakfast cereal are missing chances to get stronger bones during the peak bone-growth years of their teens.

Velimir Matkovic of the Ohio State University analyzed data from a seven-year study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. He says extra calcium between the ages of eleven and 18 resulted in denser bones. Growing denser bones during the peak years essentially puts bone in the bank for when women get older and their bones get weaker:

"This will give you a chance to be at a high level during young adulthood and may reduce the fracture rate later on in life." (eight seconds)

But as the girls got older, fewer ate breakfast. So Matkovic's advice is to finish breakfast and get that good calcium while you can.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: September 5, 2005

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