Nutrition News

• Incidence of Lactose Intolerance Significantly Lower than Previously Believed
• Bone Up On Dairy to Reduce Risk of Osteoporosis
• New American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Statement
• New Science Review Gives More Reasons to Love Dairy Foods
• Experts Call to Action on Nutrient-Rich Foods
• Lactose Intolerance Doesn’t Mean Dairy Avoidance
• Maximizing the Messages: Helping Moms and Kids Make Healthier Food Choices
• Get Rich Quick with Nutrient Rich Foods
• New Study Shows Children Benefit from Drinking Flavored Milk
• Pediatricians Address Role of Dairy Foods in Children’s Diets
• Clearing up Confusion about Conventional, rbST-Free and Organic Milk
• Calcium-Rich Dairy Foods May Help Reduce Stroke Risk
• Research Shows Young, Active Men Can Recharge With Fat-Free Milk
• Flavored Milk Consumption Linked to Improved Body Composition in Kids, Taller Boys
• Want a Great Smile? Brush, Floss…Eat Yogurt
• DASH to Dairy to Lower Blood Pressure
• New Online Menu Planner Helps Consumers Build Better Diets
• Calcium + Protein = Strong Bones
• Will Drinking Milk Help Girls Breathe Easier?
• Calcium and Beyond: Dairy Foods, Fruits and Vegetables May Help with Bone Fractures and Hypertension
• American Academy of Pediatrics Revised Statement on Pediatric Allergies is Good News for Moms Who Love Milk
• MyPyramid Plan for Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
• Calcium from Food May Benefit Bones More Than Supplements
• Adolescents with Dairy-Free Diets Fall Short On Calcium
• American Heart Association Calls for Women to Establish Healthy Lifestyle and Eating Habits
• American Academy of Pediatrics Recommends Dairy for Children with Lactose Intolerance
• Weighty Consequences for Kids Who Skimp on Dairy
• Dairy Intake May Benefit Adolescent Hearts
• Low Energy Density = High Diet Quality
• Think Outside the ‘Bones’: Dairy Intake and African American Health
• American Heart Association Recommendations Call for Americans to Establish Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Habits

Nutrition News

Calcium + Protein = Strong Bones

Mom always said to drink your milk for strong bones.  Now a new study shows that it’s the calcium and protein in milk that helps prevent osteoporosis.

Recently published research in the Journal of Nutrition suggest that dietary protein helps build bone mass in teen girls when they consume higher intakes of calcium, but has no effect on bone mass in those with lower calcium intakes.  This longitudinal study included 133 young adults with a mean age of 23 years at adulthood that participated in the Canadian Saskatchewan Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study (PBMAS) from 1991 to 1997 and 2003 to 2006. Assessments were taken of total body bone mineral content and total body bone mineral density along with dietary intake using 24-hour recalls. Results showed that protein intake had a beneficial effect on the bone mass of females at peri-adolescence or early adulthood consuming greater than 1000 mg of calcium each day.

However, young females consuming lower amounts of calcium did not see a significant effect of protein on bone mass. The authors of the study state that their findings suggest that protein intake has a beneficial effect on bone development during a critical time in females bone building years and that adequate calcium intake is necessary to see this effect. The authors report that milk products are the main source of dietary calcium and are also the second main food source of protein in the Canadian diet. They also note that in addition to calcium, milk provides potassium and phosphorus, further enhancing the bone building effect of dietary protein.

Vatanparast H, et al. The Effects of Dietary Protein on Bone Mineral Mass in Young Adults May Be Modulated by Adolescent Calcium Intake. Journal of Nutrition. 2007; 137: 2674-2679.

{Scientific synopsis provided by Barbara Baron, MS, RD, CDN, ADADC, Inc.}