Calcium - a new tool for obesity?
on calcium's affect on body weight in the Annual meeting of th
Danish Nutrition Society this month. A substantial amount of
research, mainly from the US, has made links between calcium and
weight loss - this month's meeting has sparked interest from the
dairy industry itself.
Top on the agenda for the Danish Nutrition Society will be the research carried out on the dietary values of calcium. Nutrition scientists from around the world will present their findings under the theme "Dietary calcium and body weight regulation - a new tool for fighting obesity?"
Several investigations - mainly in the US - have made the link between calcium and weight loss. This meeting has been set to discuss some of the findings from scientists across the globe.
In recent years, food linked to health (functional foods), have driven the dairy industry's growth. For example, dairy giants Danone and Nestlé said that their health food businesses have helped their dairy performances for the first quarter of 2004.
In Europe it is estimated that the market for functional foods in particularly is worth in the region €3 billion and is growing at 6.8 per cent annually.
If the research into calcium is accurate then it is likely that major companies in the industry will make a more conscious effort to market some of product that are high in calcium.
Leading European dairy producer Arla Foods plans to attend the meeting. The company said that it will be a good opportunity to see the health benefits of calcium.
"It i already well known that milk is the best source of calcium and it's obvious that we should monitor developments in this area", said the head of Arla's nutritional department, Merete Myrrup Christensen.
