Young people, especially those in the critical bone-building time between the ages of 11 and 15, need 1,300 mg. of calcium every day-at least three cups of low-fat or fat-free milk, in addition to other calcium-rich foods, advises the National Institutes of Health.

The start of the school year is the perfect time to help tweens (ages 9 to 12) and teens (ages 13 to19) start this healthy eating habit.

"Tweens and teens need almost twice as much calcium as younger children because this is when bones are growing their fastest," said Dr. Duane Alexander, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health.

Alexander suggests the following guidelines:

1. Keep calcium-rich snacks on hand, such as low-fat or fatfree string cheese.

2. If your children don't or can't drink milk, serve calciumfortified soy beverages or orange juice with added calcium. Flavored low-fat or fat-free milk also has as much calcium as plain milk.

3. Fresh or cooked broccoli is calcium-rich.

4. Try low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt smoothies for breakfast or as an after-school snack.

Helpful resources for parents are available by calling (800) 3702943.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.