Calcium Could Prevent Obesity

Saturday 15th May 2010

A High intake of calcium in infancy could reduce the risk of becoming obese in later life, researchers claim. Researchers at North Carolina State University made the discovery when studying calcium intake in new born pigs. The researchers found that newborn pigs who were given increased levels of calcium were much slimmer in adulthood that their calcium deprived counterparts. The findings could be key to fighting growing levels of global obesity.

Researchers reached their conclusions by studying 24 newborn piglets. 12 piglets were given increased levels of calcium, whilst the remaining piglets were given depleted levels of calcium. Researchers discovered that stem cells in calcium-deficient pigs seemed to be more likely to opt to function as fat cells than bone marrow - leading to the calcium deficient piglets becoming fatter with age.

The researchers claim that further research could shed new light on a number of bone diseases including osteoporosis. Researchers also hope to further study the suprising link between calcium and weight in order to better understand and prevent growing levels of global obesity.

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