Environmental and behavioral factors are associated with the calcium intake of low-income adolescent girls.

Based on social cognitive theory, the purpose of this study was to determine whether selected environmental and behavioral factors were associated with the calcium intake of low-income adolescent girls. Teachers in three public middle schools administered a written survey resulting in data from 105 girls (the majority were Asian American). Calcium intake was lower than recommended and was associated with eating breakfast, number of children in the household, availability of some high-calcium foods, and seeing important others drink milk or being encouraged to drink milk. Educational interventions should be targeted to parents in relation to making affordable sources of calcium available and modeling adequate intake to adolescents.