Indians consume far too less calcium than required
Warsaw, April 20: Adults in India consume on an average about half the amount of calcium than required for healthy bones, according to a global map of dietary calcium intake launched on Friday.
Calcium is a major component of bone, accounting for between 30-35 per cent of its mass and much of its strength. Low calcium intake has been linked to lower bone-mineral density, which increases the risk of osteoporosis and broken bones.
In India, the average calcium intake is only 429 mg per day against the requirement of 800-1000 mg per day, according to the map launched by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), a nongovernmental organisation.
Across the 74 countries included in the map, the estimate of average dietary calcium intake among adults varies widely, from a low of 175 mg/day in Nepal to a high of 1233 mg/day in Iceland, according to the findings presented at a symposium held in Krakow, Poland.
Countries in Asia, Africa and South America mostly have low calcium intakes, ranging between about 400 and 700 mg/day, showed the map.
The map reflects the findings of a recent study published in the journal Osteoporosis International.
"The Map reveals that in many parts of Asia and Southeast Asia the population has extremely low intakes of calcium in the diet, with levels often less than 400 to 500 mg a day," said Ambrish Mithal, co-author of the study and IOF board member from India.
"In China and India, the world's most populous countries, the average intake is shown to be only 338 mg/day and 429 mg/day respectively," Mithal added.
The amount of calcium needed varies at different stages of life. Calcium requirements are especially high in the teenage years due to the rapid growth of the skeleton, and at older age, when the body's ability to absorb calcium declines.
In older adults, bone loss occurs at a rate of about one per cent per year, resulting in calcium loss of approximately 15 g per year.
The recommendations for daily calcium intake vary by country, however 800-1000 mg/day is generally recommended for healthy adults, with higher amounts recommended for teenagers, postmenopausal women, the elderly, and people with osteoporosis.
Foods rich in calcium include all dairy foods (milk, yoghurt, cheeses), certain vegetables (broccoli or kale), whole canned fish with soft edible bones such as sardines, some nuts, calcium-set soy products (tofu, soy milk), and some mineral waters.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses defence minister in surprise announcement
Jerusalem, Nov 5: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited “significant gaps” and a “crisis of trust” between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”
In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged. While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the Hamas group.
Gallant, a former general who has gained public respect with a gruff, no-nonsense personality, said in a statement: “The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life's mission."
Gallant has worn a simple, black buttoned shirt throughout the war in a sign of sorrow over the October 7 attack and developed a strong relationship with his US counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A previous attempt by Netanyahu to fire Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu. He also flirted with the idea of dismissing Gallant over the summer but held off until Tuesday's announcement.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister who was a junior officer in the military. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu rival who recently rejoined the government, will take the foreign affairs post.
Netanyahu has a long history of neutralising his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
“But they kept getting wider. They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy - our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he said.
