Bone Health
Dairy foods and bone health
Strong bones, strong future.
Healthy, strong bones are essential for leading long, active and independent lives. But here’s the thing: most people don’t think about their bone health until it’s at risk.
Osteoporosis, a condition where bones lose calcium and other minerals, makes them fragile and increases the risk of fractures. In Australia, Osteoporosis affects 1.2 million people.
Many don’t consider their bone health until they experience a fracture or reach older age. But bones are living tissue, constantly renewing themselves. That means bone health is a lifelong commitment.
While genetics and age are out of your hands, adopting a bone-friendly lifestyle can help reduce the risk of osteoporosis and support stronger bones at every stage of life.
The secret to strong, healthy bones for life? It’s all about daily habits:
- Fuel up on calcium. Milk, yoghurt and cheese help keep your bones strong and resilient.
- Move with purpose. Weight-bearing exercises like walking, dancing or strength training keep bones active and healthy.
- Soak up some sun. Safe sun exposure helps your body produce the vitamin D it needs to absorb calcium.
- Calcium, dairy and bone health. Calcium is the main building block of bones that combines with other minerals (like phosphorus) to form hard crystals that give bones their strength.
Since the body can’t produce calcium on its own, we need to get it from food. If we don’t eat enough calcium-rich foods, the body takes calcium from our bones for other essential functions. Over time, this can weaken bones, making them brittle and increasing the risk of osteoporosis.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend enjoying dairy foods daily. Milk, cheese and yoghurt provide a convenient and easily absorbed source of calcium, contributing around 60% of the calcium in the average diet.
Other essential nutrients for bone health
Dairy foods are also a great source of protein. Protein plays an important role in bone health as it helps build and repair bone tissue and muscles. As people become older, protein requirements increase to help maintain bone and muscle mass and reduce hip fractures.
But the benefits don’t stop there. Milk, cheese and yoghurt offer a unique combination of bone-supporting nutrients like phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. These nutrients work together to keep bones strong and healthy, making dairy a smarter choice than relying on calcium supplements alone.
Healthy bones at every age
- Children
- Teenagers
- Adults
- Older adults
Childhood is the prime time to build strong bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Despite its importance, calcium is the nutrient Australian children most commonly miss out on—with more than half of 9–16-year-olds not getting the recommended amount.
That’s a big gap, but one that can be easily filled with the right foods and daily habits.
Healthy bones FAQs
The answers you’ve been looking for.
How much dairy should I be consuming per day?
Australian Dietary Guidelines recommended calcium intakes
| Infants | 500 mg/day |
| Adolescents | 1300 mg/day |
| Adults | 1000 mg/day |
| Women (50+) & Men (70+) | 1300 mg/day |
The Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) recommend dietary intakes (RDI) for calcium during childhood from 500 mg/day during infancy, to 1300 mg/day around puberty.
It is recommended that at least three servings of dairy are consumed to achieve 1000-1300 mg of calcium per day.
Can I get calcium from non-dairy sources?
Milk and milk-based foods such as cheese and yoghurt are the greatest contributors to calcium in the Australian diet.
Other calcium-rich foods include sardines and salmon with edible bones, green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, bok choy, tofu set with calcium, figs, apricots, almonds and sesame products such as tahini.
Plant-based beverages such as soy and almond drinks can provide a source of calcium, if fortified.
1 serve of dairy is equal to:
- 1 cup (250ml) fresh, UHT long life, reconstituted powdered milk or buttermilk
- ¾ cup (200g) yoghurt, or ½ cup (120ml) evaporated milk
- 2 slices (40g) or 4 x 3 x 2cm cube (40g) of hard cheese, such as cheddar
- ½ cup (120g) ricotta cheese
1 serve of a calcium alternative could be:
- 1 cup (250ml) soy, rice or other cereal drink with at least 100mg of added calcium per 100ml
- 100g almonds with skin
- 60g sardines, canned in water
- ½ cup (100g) canned pink salmon with bones
- 100g firm tofu (check the label as calcium levels vary)
Can I take calcium supplements instead?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend getting nutrients from food rather than relying on supplements. As well as providing calcium, milk and other dairy foods are also a source of essential nutrients like protein, carbohydrate, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc.
How can I get enough calcium in my diet if I'm lactose intolerant?
Being lactose intolerant doesn’t mean you have to cut out dairy completely. Many people with lactose intolerance can still enjoy some dairy foods without discomfort.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines suggest that up to 250 ml of milk may be well tolerated if consumed with other foods or spread throughout the day.
Most cheeses contain little to no lactose and yoghurt has beneficial bacteria that help digest lactose. Low-lactose and lactose-free milk options are also available.
All of these foods are rich in calcium, helping to build and maintain strong bones.
If you suspect an allergy or intolerance, consult your doctor for personalised advice.
How can I include more dairy foods in my diet?
With a wide variety of dairy foods available, it’s easy to enjoy the recommended amount every day.
Here are a few ideas to get you going:
- Include yoghurt on cereal at breakfast time.
- Grab a latte on the way to work.
- Try ricotta or cottage cheese in a salad sandwich.
- Have a smoothie or milkshake for afternoon tea.
- For a creamy soup, stir in a generous splash of milk.
- Mix spreadable cream cheese and vanilla bean yoghurt, then layer with nuts and berries for a dessert.
- Serve curries with a generous dollop of yoghurt.
- Toss steamed potato wedges in parmesan cheese before roasting for a great side dish or snack.