Parents often mark their children’s height on doorframes, witnessing them grow through the years. But behind such visible changes, something important is happening: the foundation of their bone health is being laid for life.

The science of growing bones

Children are born with around 270 bones at birth, some of which gradually fuse during growth to form an adult human skeleton comprising of 206 bones.¹ But Bone Health is not just about the numbers, it's also about strength, density and resilience. Bone growth primarily happens at the growth plates, which is where cartilage is located at the ends of longish bones such as arms, legs and fingers. These plates produce new cartilage cells, which later harden and become bone tissue through Ossification. This growth is most rapid during infancy and puberty².

Here is a breakdown^3,4,5:

• Infancy to Early Childhood (0–5 years): The skeleton grows rapidly, requiring high amounts of calcium and phosphate.
• Middle Childhood (6–12 years): Steady growth continues, bones stretch and thicken further.
• Adolescence (13–18 years): This is most crucial age for growth in height. This is when bones gain the most mass and strength.

By the end of adolescence, most bones complete their growth, but bone density continues to build till early adulthood until late 20’s or early 30’s².

What influences bone development?

Nutrition: Approx. 99% of Calcium exists in bone and teeth in a human body. Calcium is the primary mineral in Bones and Vitamin D helps absorb Calcium. A deficiency may imply weaker bones and developmental delays⁵.

Physical Activity: Exercises such as jumping, running, and playing sports stimulate bone growth by putting healthy stress on bones⁵.

Genetics: A child’s height and bone density potential are largely inherited, but how that potential is realised depends on lifestyle and nutrition⁵.

Hormones: Growth hormone (GH), thyroid hormones, and few other hormones such as Estrogen and Testosterone play vital roles in regulating growth⁵.

Sleep: Growth hormone (GH) is primarily secreted during deep sleep⁴.

Are kids getting enough calcium?

A large study conducted in 10 cities of India in school children (6-11years) and adolescents (12-16years) reported that nearly half of the participants had calcium deficiency⁶. This may be due to dietary gaps, picky eating habits and reduced outdoor activity.

Diet tips to support bone growth

• Include dairy products such as milk, paneer, curd etc.
• Add green leafy vegetables, especially spinach and fenugreek.
• Encourage ragi, almonds, sesame seeds and fortified cereals.

Yet, many kids may not consistently consume enough of these foods. That’s where supplementation may be considered.

Making nutrition easy with kids’ gummies

Incorporating nutrients into a child’s daily routine can be tricky especially if they are fussy eaters. Kids Gummies are a fun, convenient and tasty format to help support nutrient intake without forcing medicinal formats that kids are mostly averse of. Kids Calcium Gummies are designed to support Bone Health in a way that appeals to children. These chewable gummies are easy to consume, gentle on the stomach and Delicious in flavour.

Why Parents Are Opting for Kids Gummies?

• Convenience: Can be taken On-The-Go and are ideal as tiffin-box companion.
• Taste Appeal: Gummies are available in various flavours, makes Calcium intake less of a chore and mostly a treat.
• Vegetarian & Sugar-Free Options: Mostly consumers have a stigma that Gummies due to jelly/candy format are sugar laden. Choosing products from Trusted brands that offer Sugar-Free variants makes Calcium intake safer for consumption.

When should the Supplementation be Done?

Bone-building is most effective during first two decades of life. Supporting this growth window with proper nutrition, adequate sunlight, regular physical activity, healthy diet and supplementation when needed can help support bone development. It is mostly a bone consolidation investment. The stronger the bones are built at this stage, lower is the risk of fractures, osteoporosis or stunted growth later. Knowledge of how kid’s bones grow may help parents make informed decisions about their child’s diet and lifestyle. Hence, that support is important for growth in their Height, Bone Strength and Health & Vitality.

Sources: 
@# Kamel-ElSayed SA, Nezwek TA, Varacallo MA. Physiology, Bone. [Updated 2024 Sep 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441968/ 
Hereford T et al.. Understanding the importance of peak bone mass. J Pediatr Soc North Am. 2024 Apr 5;7:100031. doi: 10.1016/j.jposna.2024.100031 
Setiawati R, Rahardjo P. Bone Development and Growth [Internet]. Osteogenesis and Bone Regeneration. IntechOpen; 2019. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82452 
Abrams SA. Bone Health in School Age Children: Effects of Nutritional Intake on Outcomes. Front Nutr. 2021 Nov 19;8:773425. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.773425. 
Hasan S et al. Nutrient and Hormonal Effects on Long Bone Growth in Healthy and Obese Children: A Literature Review. Children. 2024; 11(7):817. https://doi.org/10.3390/children11070817 
¹ SA, Nezwek TA, Varacallo MA. Physiology, Bone. [Updated 2024 Sep 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441968/ 
² Bachrach LK. Bone mineralization in childhood and adolescence. Curr Opin Pediatr. 1993 Aug;5(4):467-73. doi: 10.1097/00008480-199308000-00017. PMID: 8374675. 
³ Abrams SA. Bone Health in School Age Children: Effects of Nutritional Intake on Outcomes. Front Nutr. 2021 Nov 19;8:773425. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.773425. PMID: 34869539; PMCID: PMC8640096. 
⁴ Moudgil K, Bangalee V, Aku TMA, Rekha MM. Bone health from infancy to adolescence: a narrative review of nutritional and lifestyle determinants. Int J Res Orthop [Internet]. 2025 Oct. 27 [cited 2025 Dec. 10];11(6):1617-24. 
⁵ Weaver CM. Adolescence: the period of dramatic bone growth. Endocrine. 2002 Feb;17(1):43-8. doi: 10.1385/ENDO:17:1:43. PMID: 12014703. 
⁶ Awasthi S, Kumar D, Mahdi AA, Agarwal GG, Pandey AK, Parveen H, Singh S, Awasthi R, Pande H, T S A, Mahanta BN, Singh CM, Mathew JL, Ahmad MK, Singh K, Bhat MA, A R S, Kar S, Nair S. Prevalence of specific micronutrient deficiencies in urban school going children and adolescence of India: A multicenter cross-sectional study. PLoS One. 2022 May 11;17(5):e0267003. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267003