Associations among calcium intake, resting energy expenditure, and body fat in a multiethnic sample of children.

Abstract

The objective was to determine if calcium intake was associated with resting energy expenditure (REE) and body fat in children after accounting for ancestral genetic background. Participants included 315 children. REE, body composition, and dietary calcium were assessed by indirect calorimetry, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and 24-hour recalls, respectively. Structural equations modeling assessed the relationships among REE, calcium intake, and body fat. There were positive associations between calcium intake and REE (P<.01) and between REE and total body fat (P<.0001). There was indirect effect of calcium intake on total body fat (P<.01). There were positive associations between calcium intake and REE (P<.01), and a trend toward an association of calcium intake and total body fat (P=.065) among boys only, whereas the only significant relationship among girls was an association of REE on total body fat (P<.0001). REE was associated with calcium intake and mediated a relationship between calcium intake and total body fat. These findings suggest calcium intake may play a role in fat accumulation and energy balance through its effects on REE, especially in boys.