Most Canadians don’t get enough calcium—do you?

Most Canadians don’t get enough calcium (1, 2).

  • More than 6 out of 10 women between the ages of 19 and 50 don’t get enough calcium. For women over 50, it increases to 8 out of 10. (2)
  • For men, about half of those between 19 and 70 don’t get enough calcium. For men over 70, low calcium intake increases to more than 8 out of 10. (2)

To get enough calcium, Health Canada recommends eating a variety of healthy foods every day (4). Examples of nutritious foods in Canada’s Food Guide that contribute to getting enough calcium include:

  • Dairy products (milk, yogourt, cheese, cottage cheese).
  • Beans and tofu (made with calcium)
  • Dark leafy greens
  • Fish (i.e. canned with bones) and shellfish (3,4)

About the Calcium Calculator™

The Calcium Calculator™ is a nutrition education resource to help individuals assess their calcium intake and make a plan for action.

The Calcium Calculator™ is available as a digital resource. Download it below.

Try out the Calcium Calculator™

Why is calcium important?

Calcium is important for your health. Calcium has many roles in our body, including being a building block for strong bones and teeth (3, 4).

Getting enough calcium is important at every age. Many people know that calcium helps achieve peak bone mass by the age of 30, but calcium remains important as we get older (7). Later in life, getting enough calcium can help keep bones strong and lower the risk of fractures and osteoporosis (5, 6).

 

REFERENCE:
  1. Vatanparast, H. et al. Calcium Intake from Food and Supplemental Sources Decreased in the Canadian Population from 2004 to 2015. The Journal of Nutrition, 2019, pp.833-841. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz318
  2. Ahmed, M. et al. Nutrient intakes of Canadian adults: results from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)–2015 Public Use Microdata File. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021, Volume 114, Issue 3, pp. 1131-1140. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab143
  3. Healthlink BC. Calcium and your health. Nutrition series- Number 68e. September 2021. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/calcium-and-your-health. Accessed June 3, 2025.
  4. Health Canada. Calcium. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/nutrients/calcium.html Accessed June 3, 2025.
  5. Iuliano, Sandra. “Food, Nutrition and Bone Health & Fractures: An evidence-based approach to fracture prevention.” Busting Nutrition Myths for Better Bone Health, May 28 2025. Webinar.
  6. Osteoporosis Canada. Calcium. https://osteoporosis.ca/calcium/. Accessed June 4, 2025.
  7. Osteoporosis Canada. Facts and Stats. https://osteoporosis.ca/facts-and-stats/. Accessed June 4, 2025.