Food for bones

[Marijn]

My son would like to know what is the best food to eat to help you grow tall.

[Richard1966]

There is no food that makes people grow tall. He should eat a mixed and balanced diet, lots of fruit and veg and if he must eat meat, keep the red stuff to a minimum.

[Marijn]

Thank you. I was thinking of food specifically for bone growth.

[wildwood]

Stop patting him on the head when he's a good boy.

[theprof]

I see where you're coming from notafish, but there isn't any food that specifically promotes bone growth.

As Richard1966 said, a good balanced diet will help him achieve his growth potential. However, there is no reason to keep red meat to a minimum as long as it is part of a balanced diet and the total daily saturated fat intake is kept within recommended parameters.

[Marijn]

I was wondering about foods with calcium in too, niceboy.

[jake-the-peg]

You can eat as much dairy produce and Calcium as you like but without sufficient vitamin D your body won't use it.

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/nutritio nessentials/vitaminsandminerals/vitamind/

Although a poor diet will mean that you won't reach your full height potential, genetics plays a very large part in the equation. If you're from a familly of short people you're never going to make the Olympic high jump team!

[Marijn]

Thank you Jake for the interesting info. And thank you to everyone who has answered, it's much appreciated.

[Jaybird37]

Meat and dairy produce packed full of hormones may influence growth.

Dairy and dark green leafy veg, especially brassicas, are good sources of calcium.

The main influence is genetic unless the child is chronically unwell, chronically abused, or malnourished.

If your son wants a guesstimate of his eventual height, then you are usually half your adult height at the age of 2 (+/- 4cm).

Alternatively, measuring both parents height, and working out what centile they are on (ie what percentage of the population would be shorter than them). Take the average of the 2 centile figures and that should give you a prediction of the child's centile, which you can then read off on a height chart for boys (as it is your son).

One other point, just from observation, not sure if it is confirmed, but obese children are taller before puberty, but enter puberty earlier, so seem to end up shorter as adults, presumably because their bones fuse at a younger age.

[Marijn]

Thanks Jaybird

[theprof]

Err, before we go any further with this misconception, I'd like to point out that Calcium intake has no effect on eventual height.

Calcium in simple terms, strengthens bones; It has no effect on bone elongation and consequently, height. A surfeit of calcium in any form will not promote growth of an individual.

Consequently, the ingestion of Dairy or green leafy veg including brassicas is of no provable value.

I would add that the elderly can indeed make use of Calcium in dairy products as it has been proven to be of benefit in osteoporosis and other calcium depleting diseases. For the elderly, such supplements have been shown to have a dramatic effect on the incidence of fractures.

Jaybird37, your statement makes me think that you're familiar with centile calculations and the subsequent conclusions. I trust you're just aware of their drawbacks too.

[Marijn]

Thank you theprof.
Jaybird, I've also noticed that obese children are very tall. I've noticed this not only in primary schools, but secondary schools too (including sixth formers), so I don't think the growth spurt stops at puberty. I don't think that they end up being shorter than average. I think they probably continue to be above average height.

[peanut273]

calcium makes teeth and bones stronger...not bigger! haha! U guys make me laugh!! :) haha!

It all comes down to your hormones on this one! Somatrophin i think its called (whos the geek?LOL) Think in extreem cases such as dwarf babies they get given more of the growth hormone to increase their height when young! Not sure it's given for the desire to be tall.

[Marijn]

Tch