"Calcium is one of the major dietary deficiencies in children's diets," reports the National Dairy Council. For 9 our of 10 teenage girls in the US aren't getting the calcium they need. Adults may be calcium deficient as well. What's going on?

Fact is, we're snacking more today than yesterday. We're getting snacks from vending machines and fast food restaurants. Many kids are choosing soda pop over milk, according to the National Dairy Council, and adults may be doing the same.

Adults are drinking soda pop and coffee - lots of coffee - some 4,848 cups a second. Soda pop and coffee aren't the best food choices. The fizziness in carbonated drinks, including water, comes from phosphoric acid. Sip by sip, phosphoric acid eats away teeth.

Caffeine is another problem. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, "Caffeine tends to promote calcium extraction in urine." What is calcium and why do we need it? Calcium is a mineral and humans need it to build strong bones and teeth, cell walls, transmit nerve impulses, and regulate heart rhythm.

The increase in calcium deficiency in the US population has alarmed some doctors. Osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones, is now considered a geriatric and pediatric disease.

Grace Wyshack, of the Harvard School of Public Health, conducted two studies on the relationship between soda pop consumption and bone fractures. One study focused on teens, the other on menopausal women. Findings: Teens who drank two or more cans of soda pop a day risk bone weakening. This has implications for menopausal women, Wyshack notes, because body mass starts to decline about two years after menopause.

Clearly, many of us need more calcium. The amount you need depends on your age. According to the National Academy of Sciences, individuals age 19-50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. Individuals who are 50 years old or older need 1,200 milligrams per day.

Because the calcium content in food varies, Ohio State University says we should read the percentage on all food labels. This percentage is based on 1,000 milligrams per day. To calculate the milligrams per serving add a zero to the percentage number. Look for these calcium-rich foods at the grocery store.

DAIRY: Low-fat or non-fat milk, yogurt, frozen yogurt, and natural cheese

GREEN VEGETABLES: broccoli, spinach, snap beans, Chinese cabbage

OTHER VEGETABLES: carrots, celeriac, pumpkin, rutabagas

FISH: fresh perch, canned salmon and mackerel

DRIED BEANS: peas, lentils, and tofu (which is made from soybeans)

Food manufacturers are adding calcium to their products. The number of calcium fortified products seems to increase by the week: orange juice, cocoa mix, water, rice, cereal, and waffles, and more. But calcium fortified foods don't balance poor food choices, according to the National Dairy Council, or guarantee "a nutritionally adequate diet."

In order to function we need a good night's sleep and try to get our Zs. We need to be just as responsible about calcium. Drink plain water instead of soda pop. Be careful about caffeine. Engage in weight-bearing exercise to keep bones strong. And finally, eat a balanced diet. Are you getting your Cs?

Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson. To learn more about her work go to http://www.harriethodgson.com