Journal of Pharmacy and Nutrition Sciences, 2018, 8, 91-96 91 ISSN: 2223-3806 / E-ISSN: 1927-5951/18 © 2018 Lifescience Global Calcium Intakes in the Diet of Eastern Morocco’s Population El-Houcine Sebbar 1,2,3,* , Hicham Sam 1,3 , Zaina Sidqi 4 , Ennouamane Saalaoui 1 and Mohammed Choukri 1,2,3 1 Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences of Oujda, Mohammed First University, Oujda, Morocco 2 Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Oujda, Mohammed First University, Oujda, Morocco 3 Central Laboratory, the Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco 4 Regional Center for Blood Transfusion, Oujda, Morocco Abstract: Purpose: Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease in the world. Most epidemiological studies show that calcium and vitamin deficiencies are very frequent not only in the elderly population but also in the general adult population. The aim of our work was to evaluate the calcium intake in population of eastern Morocco by the translated version in Moroccan Arabic dialect of Fardellone questionnaire. Methods: The version translated into Arabic dialect Fardellone questionnaire was tested on a sample of 1000 subjects. The age distribution was calculated on the distribution of the general Moroccan population according to the most recent population and housing census of September 2014. Therefore, subjects younger than 15 years represented the first age group, the subjects aged 16 to 59 years represented the second age group and the subjects older than 60 years represented by the third age group. Results: The study population included 56% women (n = 560), 44% of men (n = 440). The subjects aged less than 15 years accounted for 11% (n = 110), those aged 15 to 59 73.1% (n = 731) and those aged over 60 years 15.9% (n = 159). The mean calcium intake was respectively 4907 mg by week (that means 701 mg/day). The assessment of calcium intake by age group showed a deficiency in all three groups. The average consumption of calcium per day was significantly lower than the recommended daily amount for the three age groups. Patients aged over 60 years is the age group most under nourished calcium. The comparison of both gender found a deficit higher among women than among men. Conclusion: Evaluation of the calcium intake is an essential tool for better management of metabolic bone diseases. Keywords: Calcium, Calcium intake, Fardellone, Morocco. 1. INTRODUCTION The evaluation of the ration as the calcium intake influences the occurrence of an osteoporosis, And is associated with several diseases such as obesity [1-4], cardiovascular illnesses [5, 6], high blood pressure [6, 7], Type 2 diabetes [8], colorectal cancer [9], And endometrial cancer [10]. Calcium is necessary for the growth and maintenance of teeth and the skeleton, which contains 99% of the body's calcium [11]. Sufficient calcium intakes should allow a growing individual to optimize his peak osseous mass according to the possibilities of his inheritance [12-14]. A sufficient calcium intake is proportionally associated with increased osseous mass and decreased fracture risk in adulthood regardless of ethnic origin [15-19]. Calcium needs vary in function with age, sex and individuals. However, many countries have set recommended daily allowance levels (RDA) in calcium, which are supposed to cover the needs of 95% of the population *Address correspondence to this author at the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences of Oujda, Mohammed First University, Oujda, Morocco; Tel: 0021272433207; E-mail: e.sebbar@ump.ac.ma (recommended daily allowance). The RDAs are distinguished from the estimated needs that represent significantly lower average mandatory losses (Requirement: approximately 600 mg by day). These needs evaluated by the study of the calcium balance, which determines a threshold beyond which there is no retention of calcium. Needs are increased in adolescents, during pregnancy and in the elderly and are sometimes difficult to cover [12]. We performed this work in order to evaluate the calcium ration in the eastern Morocco's population and any age group confused of its region. 2. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study to describe the calcium ration in the population of eastern Morocco. The target population consisted of healthy individuals residing in eastern Morocco. Sampling was non- random by quotas, proportional to age. The size of our sample has been arbitrarily fixed to a thousand subjects. The age distribution was calculated on the distribution of the general Moroccan population according to the most recent population and housing