OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between calcium intake and obesity in a sample of obese and normal weight women. METHODS: The 24-hour recall and food frequency questionnaire were used to determine the calcium intake of 177 hypertensive and/or diabetic women. This was a case-control study. The study group consisted of 102 obese women and 75 normal weight women (control). Intake data were compared with the dietary reference intakes and with the animal-source food portions, which are the sources of calcium recommended by the Brazilian food pyramid. The Pearson correlation coefficient with a significance level of 5% of experimental error probability was used for the statistical analysis of both groups according to age groups. RESULTS: Calcium intake was similar between the groups and both failed to reach the recommended intake levels. Analysis of the intake frequency of calcium-rich foods showed that both groups consumed less than 3 portions a day. The high percentage of women who reported hardly ever eating such foods is worthy of notice. CONCLUSION: An association between obesity and calcium intake was not found in this population. Calcium intake failed to reach the recommended levels, which was a relevant finding. Considering the age of the studied women and the diagnoses of diabetes and hypertension, there is a clear need for nutrition education activities that encourage the intake of calcium-rich foods, which aid in the control of hypertension, as well as in the prevention of important diseases, such as obesity and osteoporosis.
Calcium; Dietary intake; Obesity
