There was no effect of calcium supplementation  on femoral neck or lumbar spine BMD .
There was no evidence of effect modification by baseline calcium intake , sex , ethnicity , physical activity or pubertal stage .
While there is a small effect of calcium supplementation in the upper limb , the increase in BMD which results is unlikely to result in a clinical ly significant decrease in fracture risk .
The results do not support the use of calcium supplementation  in healthy children as a public health intervention .
These results can not be extrapolated to children with medical conditions affecting bone metabolism
BACKGROUND Clinical trials have shown that  calcium supplementation in children can increase  bone mineral density ( BMD ) although this effect may not be maintained .
There has been no quantitative systematic review of this intervention .
To determine the effectiveness of calcium supplementation for improving BMD  in children .
.
To determine if any effect varies by sex , pubertal stage , ethnicity or level of physical activity , and if any effect persists after supplementation is ceased .
No important influence of limited steroid exposure on bone mass during the first year after renal transplantation: a prospective, randomized, multicenter study.
BACKGROUND Steroid-related bone loss is a recognized complication after renal transplantation . In a prospect i ve , r and omized , multicenter study we compared the influence of a steroid-free immunosuppressive regimen with a regimen with limited steroid exposure on the changes in bone mass after renal transplantation . METHODS A total of 364 recipients of a renal transplant were r and omized to receive either daclizumab ( 1 mg/kg on days 0 and 10 after transplantation ; steroid-free group n=186 ) or prednisone ( 0.3 mg/kg per day tapered to 0 mg at week 16 after transplantation ; steroids group n=178 ) . All patients received tacrolimus , mycophenolate mofetil , and , during the first 3 days , 100 mg prednisolone intravenously . Changes in bone mineral density ( BMD ) were evaluated in 135 and 126 patients in the steroid-free and steroids group , respectively . RESULTS The mean ( + /- SD ) BMD of the lumbar spine decreased slightly in both groups during the first 3 months after transplantation ( steroid-free -1.3 + /- 4.0 % [ P<0.01 ] ; steroids -2.3 + /-4.2 % [ P<0.01 ] ) . In the following months , lumbar BMD recovered in both groups ( P<0.01 ) , result ing in a lumbar BMD at 12 months after transplantation comparable with the baseline value . No difference between the groups was found at 3 months ( steroid-free versus steroids + 1.0 % ; 95 % confidence interval -0.0%-+2.0 % , P=0.060 ) and at 12 months after transplantation ( steroid-free versus steroids + 0.9 % ; 95 % confidence interval -0.8%-+2.6 % , NS ) . CONCLUSION The use of a moderate dose of steroids during 4 months after transplantation has no important influence on bone mass during the first year after renal transplantation . On average , both regimens prevented accelerated bone loss
There was no effect of calcium supplementation  on femoral neck or lumbar spine BMD .
There was no evidence of effect modification by baseline calcium intake , sex , ethnicity , physical activity or pubertal stage .
While there is a small effect of calcium supplementation in the upper limb , the increase in BMD which results is unlikely to result in a clinical ly significant decrease in fracture risk .
The results do not support the use of calcium supplementation  in healthy children as a public health intervention .
These results can not be extrapolated to children with medical conditions affecting bone metabolism
BACKGROUND Clinical trials have shown that  calcium supplementation in children can increase  bone mineral density ( BMD ) although this effect may not be maintained .
There has been no quantitative systematic review of this intervention .
To determine the effectiveness of calcium supplementation for improving BMD  in children .
.
To determine if any effect varies by sex , pubertal stage , ethnicity or level of physical activity , and if any effect persists after supplementation is ceased .