They neglect to consider the vital role of nutrition in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. At a time when society equates beauty with thinness, there is tremendous pressure on women to conform to the ideal. In fact, experts have found startling evidence of serious calcium deficiencies in adolescent and 20-something women. The lack of calcium in the diet can lead to osteoporosis, a serious disorder in which bones become fragile and are more likely to break if the condition goes untreated. Still, osteoporosis is preventable.
Most physicians agree that consuming enough calcium is the best way to avoid developing the disease.
The New York Daily News reports that women should consume at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day, about three cartons of yogurt or four glasses of milk. Lack of calcium can lead to brittle bones, an increased risk for stress fractures and Osteoporosis, according to The Daily News. But a scant 13 percent of girls ages 12 to 19 consume the recommended amount, according to The Daily News. It does a body good. NYU students apparently do not realize the importance of calcium in the diet.