Ask the Dietitian
By Althea Zanecosky, MS, RD, LDN
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association
September 2010
Q: Trying to cut sugar in cafeteria meals, my school district is considering eliminating flavored milk from the lunch menu. My son only drinks chocolate milk. I’m afraid he won’t drink any milk at school. Should I be concerned?
A: Yes, you should be concerned! According to new research, eliminating chocolate and other flavored milks from school cafeteria menus results in a dramatic drop in milk consumption. And along with the decreased intake of milk came a substantial reduction in nutrients.
The study, in 58 elementary and secondary schools across the country, found that when low-fat flavored milk was not available in school cafeterias, many children chose not to drink milk and missed out on the essential nutrients that milk provides.1 On days when only white milk was offered, milk consumption dropped an average of 35 percent, with some schools experiencing a decline of more than 50 percent.
The researchers estimated that the decline in milk consumption translated to an alarming drop in nutrients – including calcium, vitamins A and D, potassium, magnesium and protein. This includes three of the four “shortfall nutrients” of which the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has said both adults and children need to consume more: vitamin D, calcium and potassium. The researchers concluded it would require up to four different foods to match the nutrient contributions of milk, yet these foods would add more calories and fat and cost up to $4,500 more annually per 100 students.
It’s important for parents and school professionals to recognize the implications of removing chocolate milk from school meals. The study results show that the essential nutrients lost from the decline of milk consumption with the elimination of flavors are substantial and are not easily replaced by other foods. For a child in elementary school, the drop in milk consumption equates to an average loss in daily nutrients of about 10 percent of their recommended daily calcium, protein and vitamin A, and about 15 percent loss of vitamin D and phosphorus.
Nearly 70 percent of the milk children choose to drink in school is flavored, which offers the same nine essential nutrients as white milk. The majority of milk offered in schools, both white and flavored, is low-fat or fat-free. Other studies show that children who drink flavored milk drink more milk overall, have better quality diets, do not have higher intakes of sugar, fat or calories, and are more likely to be at a healthy weight compared to kids who drink little or no milk.2-4 As a parent, you need to let your school district know that there are far better ways to trim calories and added sugars from the menu than removing chocolate milk, which makes so many positive contributions to children’s diets. Chocolate milk is just as nutrient-rich as plain milk, and if it helps children drink more milk, then that’s a positive strategy!
1. Patterson J, Saidel M. The removal of flavored milk in schools results in a reduction in total milk purchases in all grades, K-12. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009; 109,(9): A97.2.
2. Johnson RK, Frary C, Wang MQ. The nutritional consequences of flavored milk consumption by school-aged children and adolescents in the United States. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002; 102(6):853-856.
3. Frary CD, Johnson RK, Wang MQ. Children and adolescents’ choices of foods and beverages high in added sugars are associated with intakes of key nutrients and food groups. J Adolesc Health 2004; 34(1):56-63.
4. Murphy MM, Douglas JS, Johnson RK, Spence LA. Drinking flavored or plain milk is positively associated with nutrient intake and is not associated with adverse effects on weight status in U.S. children and adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008; 108:631-639.