Washington, D.C.—Doctors from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) issued a sharp criticism of the "Calcium Summit," which took place at the International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. on June 25, 1999. Purportedly convened to address a "calcium crisis" in the United States, this event was bankrolled by the National Dairy Council and the Milk Processors Education Program. The "Summit" included government officials as speakers at this event, obviously designed as a promotion of dairy products.

What the dairy industry has overlooked is that osteoporosis is really a problem of the body losing calcium and not one of insufficient intake. Many factors affect the body's ability to use and retain calcium, including physical activity, smoking, and intakes of vitamin D, animal protein, and sodium.

Recent studies show that increasing calcium intake does not reduce fracture rates in older women. In a 12-year Harvard study of 78,000 women, those who drank milk three times a day actually broke more bones than women who rarely drank milk. Similarly, a 1994 study of elderly men and women in Sydney, Australia, showed that higher dairy product consumption was associated with increased fracture risk. Those with the highest dairy product consumption had approximately double the risk of hip fracture compared to those with the lowest consumption.

The "Summit" was not a government event and was designed to be a promotion of industry food products. The Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium were released in 1997 by the Institute of Medicine, and, in 1994, the National Institutes of Health released its Consensus Statement on Optimal Calcium Intake. It was within these forums that scientific issues regarding calcium were weighed. Other excellent sources of calcium, such as dark green leafy vegetables, beans, and fortified fruit juices were underplayed at the "Summit." Unlike dairy products, these foods are lactose-free, cholesterol-free, and rich sources of fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.

"Government officials should keep these pseudo-scientific dairy promotions at arm's length," said Neal D. Barnard, M.D., president of PCRM.

"You do need calcium in your diet to protect your bones, but it is just as important to keep the calcium in your bones," states Patricia Bertron, R.D., director of nutrition for PCRM.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a non-profit organization founded in 1985 and based in Washington, D.C., promotes preventive medicine and higher standards in research.

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