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 .
One year of oral calcium supplementation maintains cortical bone density in young adult female distance runners.
We conducted a double-blind , placebo-controlled , r and omized trial to determine whether 1 year of supplemental calcium intake would augment hip [ greater trochanter , GT , femoral neck ( FN ) , total hip ( TH ) ] , spine ( LS ) , and femoral mid-shaft ( Fmr ) BMD in female distance runners . Twenty-three women ( age : 23.7 + /- 4.7 yrs , height : 165.6 + /- 6.3 cm , weight : 55.7 + /- 6.1 kg ) were r and omly assigned to receive either 1000 mg/d of supplemental calcium ( N = 13 ) or placebo tablets ( N = 10 ) for 1 year . BMD was determined by DXA ( Hologic 1000-W ) and tablet compliance by self-report logs . Compliance averaged 79 % and 71 % for supplement and placebo groups , respectively . Calcium supplementation did not affect hip or spine BMD , but did prevent loss at the femoral mid-shaft ( GT : -0.5 % vs. 0.2 % , FN : 0.9 % vs. 1.1 % , TH : -0.3 % vs. 0.2 % , LS : 0.3 % vs. 1.2 % , Fmr : 0.1 % vs. -1.8 % , for calcium vs. placebo , respectively ) . We conclude that the addition of 800 mg/d of supplemental calcium to the diet of young adult female distance runners with habitual calcium intakes of approximately 1000 mg/d , prevents cortical but not trabecular 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 .