Vitamin D and calcium are popular nutrients these days, getting a lot of attention from nutrition researchers and parents. Here’s what you need to know about calcium and vitamin D requirements for kids.
What do Calcium and Vitamin D do?
Calcium is a mineral and vitamin D is a hormone. We often talk about them together because they work together to keep bones strong. Vitamin D may have an important role in our immune system, type 1 diabetes, and cancer; researchers are working on exactly what this role is.
Why are these nutrients important for my child?
Most of our skeleton’s bone density is created before we reach age 20. Adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D ensures your child develops strong bones. Whereas we used to think vitamin D’s only role was to prevent rickets, we now know it is important for other areas of health as well. Because of this, nutrition experts are starting to recommend higher intakes of vitamin D for everyone (not only kids).
How much does my child need?
Vitamin D – All breastfed infants should start taking 400 IU of a liquid vitamin D supplement within a few days of birth. In the US and Canada, infant formula is always fortified with vitamin D.
After age 1, we recommend your child get at least 600 IU of vitamin D per day. If he is not getting enough from vitamin D fortified foods (see table below), you should consider a supplement. Your child’s daily vitamin D intake should never exceed: 2500 IU (1-3 years), 3000 IU (4-8 years), 4000 IU (9-18 years).
Calcium – Recommended intakes are: 700 mg (1-3 years), 1000 mg (4-8 years), 1300 mg (9-18 years).
Most of our calcium comes from dairy products and fortified foods like non-dairy milks and calcium-fortified orange juice. In general, if your child drinks 3 cups of milk a day (a total of 24 ounces), he is getting enough calcium.
If your child doesn’t drink milk or calcium-fortified drinks, other foods contain calcium, but in small amounts that may not be well absorbed. (See the table below for some options.) You should talk to your pediatrician about starting a calcium supplement.
Sources of Calcium and Vitamin D
| Calcium | Vitamin D |
| Milk, 2% reduced fat (300 mg calcium per 8 oz) | The sun is a great source of vitamin D! One concern with increased use of sunscreen is that we get less vitamin D from the sun than we used to.
In New England, the amount of vitamin D we can get from the sun in winter is very small. In the summer, 10-30 minutes of sun exposure twice a week (without sunscreen, and with face, arms, and legs showing) gives your child all of the vitamin D he needs. |
| Cheddar cheese (300 mg per 1.5 oz) | “High in vitamin D” mushrooms (they are treated with UV light to make vitamin D) (400 IU per 3 oz) |
| Yogurt (Siggi’s whole milk has 100 mg per 4.5 oz) | Milk (cow’s milk is fortified with vitamin D) (120 IU per 1 cup) |
| Non-dairy milk (soy milk, almond milk) (read the Nutrition Facts since fortification amounts vary) | Orange juice fortified with vitamin D (check the label since fortification varies. Tropicana has 120 IU per 1 cup) |
| Calcium-fortified orange juice (approximately 260 mg per 6 oz) | Yogurt (check the label since fortification amounts vary) |
| Tofu made with calcium sulfate (250 mg per 1/2 cup) | Tuna, chunk light canned in water (48 IU per 2 oz or 1/2 cup) |
| Broccoli, raw (21 mg per 1/2 cup) | Egg yolks (41 IU per 1 egg) |
| Kale, raw (24 mg per 1 cup) | |
| Almonds (80 mg per 1 oz or 23 almonds) |
How do you make sure your kids are getting enough calcium and vitamin D? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences below!