IMPACT OF CALCIUM INTAKE ON BODY COMPOSITION AND BLOOD LIPIDS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Overweight and obesity are major public health problems in Puerto Rico, affecting more than 60% of the population. Recent clinical research has shown that a high calcium intake can significantly reduce body weight, fat mass, and blood lipids in obese indivuduals. It is unclear whether this effect is due to calcium alone or to other constituents in dairy products and if these effects are seen in the Hispanics population. We propose to do this study to test the hypothesis that a high calcium intake leads to changes in body composition and blood lipids in a group of obese Puerto Rican adults. We further hypothesize that dairy calcium intake is more effective that elemental calcium and elemental calcium intake on body composition and blood lipids in a group of obese Puerto Rican adults. Thirty subjects will be randomized into a treatment groups for 6 months: a control group or low dairy group (700mg/d of calcium), a high dairy calcium group (1300 mg/d of calcium) and a high elemental calcium group (1300 mg/d of calcium). Usual nutrient intake and physical activity will be estimated initially from 3-day records. Isocaloric diets will be calculated from these estimates for subjects to follow during the course of the study. Subjetcs will be asked to maintain their level of physical activity constant. Body composition will be measured at the beginning and the end of the study by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and monthly by anthropometric measurements. Blood lipids will be measured at the beginning and at the end of the study. If increasing dairy and/or elemental clacium intake leads to positive changes in body composition and blood lipids in this group of obese subjects, then increasing habitual calcium intake would significantly impact the treatment of obesity, as well as other diseases. Further studies will be needed to confirm these results.