Camp Calcium is a research program funded by the National
Institutes of Health since 1990 run as a summer camp for adolescents on
the Purdue University campus.  Campers participate in many diverse
educational and recreational activities.  While at camp, subjects eat a
controlled diet to provide a known amount of calcium and other nutrients
in the diet.  The research determines utilization of calcium and other
nutrients which requires collection of urine and stools and blood
samples.

        Camp Calcium has studied factors that improve building bone
during the rapid growth period of adolescence and dietary factors that
influence weight maintenance and onset of diabetes.

        Major findings of Camp Calcium include:

        -The calcium intake which optimizes development of peak bone
mass is 1300 mg/day.

        -Net calcium retention in adolescent girls is 25% compared to 5%
in young women.

        -Maximal calcium retention occurs at the onset of menarche in
girls.

        -Boys utilize calcium more efficiently than girls, but they
still need 1300 mg/day of calcium in their diet to build bigger
skeletons.

        -African Americans utilize calcium more efficiently than
Caucasians and build 12% stronger skeleton on average.