September/October 2002
HEALTH BYTES

Fat affects calcium absorption

      A low-fat diet may affect how a woman's body absorbs calcium. In a recent study, researchers compared calcium absorption rates in 142 premenopausal and perimenopausal women ages 45 to 53. Half of the women in the study were on low-fat diets as part of a larger clinical trial about risk factors for heart disease. The study's results showed that women who ate more fat had higher calcium absorption rates than women on low-fat diets. Researchers propose that fat slows down calcium's transit time through the intestines, increasing the opportunity for absorption.