Bone Health
Research related to calcium and Vitamin D are two of the most funded nutrition areas in the college because of their broad relationship to health. Our research has expanded to include vitamin D and relationships to health that extend beyond bone to cancer, hypertension, body fat, and diabetes.
- calcium bioavailability
- calcium metabolism during life stages of high demand (i.e. building peak bone mass during adolescence and bone loss in postmenopausal women)
- dietary calcium and body composition
- dietary alternatives to estrogen-replacement therapy
- genomic analysis of transcription factor function
- lactose digestion and tolerance
- vitamin D and calcium metabolism
- vitamin D and cancer
- more
Camp Calcium
Camp Calcium is a research program (organized as a summer camp) in which calcium metabolism in adolescents is studied. Results from the previous 10 camps have been used in part to form the dairy recommendations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid. Over the years, researchers have learned a great deal about how young people of all races process calcium differently. Studies have also confirmed that calcium intake during the adolescent years can shape bone health for the remainder of a person's life.