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Dietary acid–base balance and intake of bone-related nutrients in Cambridge teenagers

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 58, pages 1462–1471 (2004)Cite this article

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 26 October 2004

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the diet of 16–18-y-old boys and girls with particular reference to intakes of nutrients believed to affect bone health and dietary acid–base balance.

Design: A 7-day food diary was completed between the months of October and December.

Setting: Cambridge, UK

Subjects: A total of 111 boys and 101 girls aged 16–18 y who were recruited into the Cambridge Bone Studies.

Main outcome measures: Mean daily intakes of foods and selected nutrients (protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, vitamins C and K) were calculated. Two estimates of acid–base balance were calculated from the diet using the formulae of Remer (net acid excretion, estimated indirectly; NAEind) and Frassetto (protein/potassium ratio).

Results: Mean calcium and phosphorus intakes were above the UK Reference Nutrient intake (RNI). In all, 39% of the boys and 36% of the girls had vitamin K intakes lower than 1 μg/kg body weight/day. Calcium intake was positively correlated with all other nutrients except vitamins C and K. Boys had a significantly higher estimated net acid excretion (NAEind) than girls (P<0.001). Although a strong correlation (r=0.76, P<0.001) was found between the two methods, at higher acid levels a divergence was observed. A significant positive correlation was found between NAEind and the weight consumed per day of milk, cheese, meat and cereal foods and a negative correlation was found with the weight of potatoes and fruit. Diet composition is such that a lower NAEind is accompanied by a lower calcium intake.

Conclusions: The interpretation of the effects of calcium and other nutrients on bone cannot be considered in isolation from the other components of the diet. These results challenge some of the accepted perceptions about what constitutes an optimal diet for the promotion of bone health in adolescents.

Sponsorship: Medical Research Council, Department of Health/Medical Research Council Nutrition Research Initiative and Mead Johnson Research Fund.

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Acknowledgements

The work was funded by the Medical Research Council, as an addition to work supported by awards from the Department of Health/Medical Research Council Nutrition Research Initiative (boys study) and the Mead Johnson Research Fund (girls study). The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the sponsors.

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  1. MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge, UK

    C J Prynne, F Ginty, A A Paul, C Bolton-Smith, S J Stear, S C Jones & A Prentice

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Guarantor: CJ Prynne.

Contributors: The original studies were designed by AP and SS and carried out by SS and SJ. FG and AP contributed to data interpretation and manuscript preparation. CP and AAP were responsible for analysis of the dietary data, data interpretation and manuscript preparation. CB-S provided the vitamin K database and contributed to manuscript preparation.

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Correspondence to C J Prynne.

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Prynne, C., Ginty, F., Paul, A. et al. Dietary acid–base balance and intake of bone-related nutrients in Cambridge teenagers. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 1462–1471 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602006

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