Nutrition and Health

• Take Steps Now to Prevent Osteoporosis
• Eating Dairy Lowers Systolic Blood Pressure
• Milk - The healthy punch
• Milk, Cheese and Yogurt: The Power of Nine
• Limiting dairy can cause weak bones
• DASH to the Diet - Hypertension and you
• Dairy products and immunity - There is a link
• Milk: What makes it so good for you?
• Calcium: Where else to find it besides milk
• So you're lactose intolerant - What does that mean?

Children

• 'D' ficient teens need more milk
• More Evidence That Milk Makes Bones Stronger
• Drink Milk: Your Kids Are Watching!
• Children and dairy - The earlier the better
• Dairy is key to promoting healthy bones
• Plenty of reasons to smile about flavored milk

Weight Control

• Dairy's role in weight management
• Moderate, regular eating decreases obesity risk
• Calcium enhances weight loss efforts

Health and Nutrition

Dairy is key to promoting healthy bones

A recent study indicates that children who avoid milk due to milk allergies may have weaker bones than their milk-drinking counterparts. The study compared the bone mineralization of 27 children ages 3 to 8 who were diagnosed with milk allergy to the bone mineralization of similar-aged children without milk allergy. Ten of the milk-allergic children had below-normal bone mineralization, putting them at greater risk for bone fractures and osteoporosis later in life. But the good news is, most children outgrow milk allergies and can begin drinking nutrient-rich milk again. In fact, after drinking milk again after six to 24 months on a milk-free diet, 20 of the 27 milk-allergic children no longer showed symptoms of milk allergy. The authors recommend that children with cow's milk allergy receive calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and that those who outgrow their milk allergy begin consuming dairy products again to help build their bone mass.

Note: If you suspect your child may have outgrown an existing milk allergy, check with your physician before changing your child's diet.

Hidvégi, E. et al. Slight decrease in bone mineralization in cow milk-sensitive children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2003; 36(1): 44-49.