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Health & Nutrition News Alert

January - February 2002 (Vol. 6 No. 1)

Milk-Drinking Men at Lowest Risk for Heart Disease
A large study from Scotland found no connection between milk consumption and death from heart disease. In fact, of the 5,765 men ages 35-64 who participated in the study, those who drank the most milk were healthier overall. Men with the highest intakes of milk had the lowest risk of death from heart disease or death from all causes. The researchers also found no evidence of an association between milk consumption and blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels. They speculate that milk may contain a cholesterol-lowering factor. The authors also suggest that the milk drinking men may have consumed more milk during childhood -- leading to increased leg length and height in adulthood, which is associated with reduced risk of coronary death. They cite seven large studies that show no connection between milk consumption and an increased incidence of coronary heart disease.

Ness, A.R. et al. Milk, coronary heart disease and mortality. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health . 2001; 55: 379-382.

Obarzanek, E et al. Effects on blood lipids of a blood pressure-lowering diet: the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . 2001;74:80-9.

{Editor’s Note: Previous research supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute found that the DASH eating plan, which calls for 3 servings of lowfat milk and Milk Group foods and 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables reduced the risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, risk factors for coronary heart disease.}

Increasing Milk Consumption Critical for Men with Kidney Stones
Men who have kidney stones may restrict milk due to confusion over the role of calcium in forming stones. Previous research has demonstrated that dairy foods don’t increase the risk of kidney stones; however, this myth remains. Now there’s evidence that men who ditch the dairy due to concerns about kidney stones are putting their bones in jeopardy. The new study used a national sample of 39,695 men to determine the link between a history of kidney stones and low bone mineral density (BMD). The results indicate that men with kidney stones have a significantly lower BMD of the hip than other men, which can increase their risk of fracture. Additionally, the researchers found a link between regular milk consumption and higher BMD. The data encourages men who suffer from kidney stones to consume plenty of milk to maintain strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.

Lauderdale, D.S. et al. Bone mineral density and fracture among prevalent kidney stone cases in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research . 2001; 16: 1893-1898.

Obesity is a Growing Health Concern
The U.S. Surgeon General recently issued a call to action to encourage people to work together to stop America’s growing obesity epidemic. According to the report, "overweight and obesity may soon cause as much preventable disease and death as cigarette smoking." In order to help curb the rising rates of obesity, the report suggests several action steps such as engaging in regular physical activity for all children and adults, and calls for schools to provide more food options that are low in fat and calories, such as lowfat or nonfat milk and Milk Group foods, fruits and vegetables. Additional suggestions to help reduce childhood obesity include enforcement of USDA regulations prohibiting the sale of foods of minimal nutritional value during mealtimes in school food service areas, including vending machines. Research has shown that dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt – which include nutrients essential to healthy growth and development – may help reduce obesity risk for children and adults, which could help put Americans one step closer to a healthy weight.

“Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity," December 2001.

Zemel, M. Regulation of adiposity by dietary calcium. FASEB . 2000; 1132-1138.

Carruth, BR. and Skinner, JD. The role of dietary calcium and other nutrients in moderating body fat in preschool children. International Journal of Obesity . 2001; 25: 559-566.

Milk Does Not Impact Incidence of Juvenile Diabetes
Some researchers suggest that early infant-feeding practices may influence the incidence of Type I diabetes, commonly referred to as juvenile diabetes. This paper reviews the research related to the genetic and immunological processes involved in the development of Type I diabetes in children and concludes that early exposure to cow’s milk (or absence of exposure) had no effect on developing diabetes.

Berdanier, C.D. Diabetes Mellitus: is there a connection with infant-feeding practices. Nutrition Today. 2001; 36: 241-248.

Source: Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. www.jdf.org.

{Editor’s Note: Breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula is recommended for infants during the first 12 months of life. Children ages one to two should drink whole cow’s milk rather than reduced fat varieties because adequate fat is necessary for early growth and development.}

Calcium from Milk Helps to Maintain Bone Growth
Building up your bone bank early is a wise investment. New research finds that bone mineral content achieved in childhood may have an affect on overall bone mass later in life. A recent follow-up study determined that increases in bone mineral content remained in young girls three years after supplementing their diets with calcium phosphate extracted from milk. The original study added 2 servings per day of foods enriched with calcium phosphate from milk to the diets of 144 eight-year-olds. Results showed that adding this component found in milk had a positive effect on bone mineral density. Upon conducting the follow-up study, it was determined that the average gain in bone mineral density continued to be greater in the milk-supplemented group than in the control group at all skeletal sites.

Bonjour, J-P. et al. Gain in bone mineral mass in prepubertal girls 3.5 years after discontinuation of calcium supplementation: a follow-up study. The Lancet. 2001; 358: 1208-1212.

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You can rely on the National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council of (ADA/DC) Nebraska for credible, up-to-date news on dairy nutrition research, public policies on nutritional issues and special dairy nutrition campaigns. Please browse the Nutrition/Health Research tab for more information. If you need addition information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Director of Nutrition Education Jennifer Meyer at (402) 592-3355 or toll free at (888) NEB-MILK.