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Health & Nutrition News Alert

November - December 2000 (Vol. 4 No. 6)

A Strict Vegetarian Diet May Negatively Impact a Child's Learning Ability
A new study suggests that children who are raised on a diet devoid of meat and dairy foods are more likely to be B-12 deficient and may suffer in the classroom as a result. The researchers found that a deficiency in vitamin B-12, even when not severe enough to cause anemia, was significantly associated with lower scores on intelligence tests. This is important because it may influence a child's ability to reason, solve complex problems, to think abstractly and to learn.

Louwman, M., et al: "Signs of impaired cognitive function in adolescents with marginal cobalamin status." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2000; 72: 762-769.

{Editor's note: Milk is a good source of vitamin B-12: each 8-ounce serving of milk provides 13 percent of the daily value for vitamin B-12.}

Teens Need to Eat to Compete
Pediatricians are being called on to encourage kids and teens to exercise, yet stay on the look out for the development of certain medical conditions associated with athletics including disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction and decreased bone mineral density. Among other recommendations, a new statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics calls for pediatricians to counsel kids and teen athletes about eating enough (calories and nutrients) for optimal growth and development. It also suggests that teen athletes consume between 1,200 mg to 1,500 mg of calcium daily (or 3 to 4 glasses of milk).

Anderson, S.J., et. al.: "Medical concerns in the female athlete," Pediatrics 2000; 106 (3): 610-613.

{Editor's note: A free brochure with tips for teens to increase their calcium intake called "Clueless About Calcium" is available at www.whymilk.com.}.

Tips for Teens for Crammin' in the Calcium
The following tips can help any teen crank up the calcium

• Morning Glory - To get you fueled up for the day, make a potent power shake with milk. Just blend milk with chunks of fresh fruit, dry cereal and a few ice cubes.
  
• Refresher Course - When studying at night, ice cold milk is a great way to refresh yourself.
  
• Café Clue - In the cafeteria line during lunch, choose milk instead of other beverages.
  
• The Buff Stuff - If you work out, milk is a great way to replenish lost fluids and provide essential nutrients like protein and potassium.
  
• Go Cocoa Crazy - To warm yourself up on chilly nights, whip up a mug of hot chocolate milk.

FAST FACT

Adults Prefer Foods That Contain Dairy
In a recent survey of 1,000 consumers 18 and older:

• Half say they would buy more food products if they knew dairy ingredients were included
  
• 74 percent look for foods with added health benefits
• 90 percent agree products with dairy ingredients are good for you

Tucker Knapp Integrated Marketing Communications, Schaumburg, Ill. May 2000

CLArifying the Health Benefits of CLA
Preliminary research has suggested that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a component found in milk, cheese and yogurt, has many health benefits, including slowing the growth of certain cancers and reducing the risk of heart disease. A recent supplement to the Journal of the American College of Nutrition revealed that CLA may have even more benefits, including the inhibition of mammary cancer, preventing atherosclerosis and reducing body fat.

Scimeca, J., et al: "Potential health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid," Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2000; (19) 4: 470S-471S.

{Editor's note: For additional research and information on CLA, type in the words conjugated linoleic acid on the www.nationaldairycouncil.org search engine.}

Whether You're 1 or 100, Milk Matters
Getting older is no reason to skip your milk. Researchers found that older adults who drank more milk substantially improved their nutrient intake. The study examined a group of 200 men and women (ages 55-85) in good health who were assigned to two groups: a milk-supplemented group and a control group. Those individuals who were in the milk group added three 8-ounce servings of lowfat milk to their usual diet (fewer than 1.5 servings per day) for a 12-week period. People in the milk group got significantly more nutrients such as protein, vitamin A and D, vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, pantothenic acid, potassium and calcium when compared to the control group.

Barr, S.I. et al: "Effects of increased consumption of fluid milk on energy and nutrient intake, body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy older adults," Journal of The American Dietetic Association 2000; 100 (7): 810-817.

Milk and Eggs - May Boost Brain Power
A newly published study suggests moms who consume enough choline - a nutrient found in milk and eggs - may have newborns with improved memory that lasts a lifetime. Researchers say a mother's choline intake may influence the development of the memory center in the fetal brains. This study is further evidence of the importance for pregnant women to pay special attention to their diets.

Zeisel, er. Al: "Chloine: Needed for normal development of memory," Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2000; 19 (5): 528.

{Editor's note: Pregnant moms can log onto www.whymilk.com for tips and video "how-tos" from celebrity trainer and new mom Kathy Kaehler.}

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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.