To Archives

Health & Nutrition News Alert

September - October 2001 (Vol. 5 No. 5)

Probiotic Milk May Help "Battle the Bug"
Ever wonder how to prevent your kids from getting sick during the school year? New research shows that probiotics may help reduce a child's chance of getting respiratory infections. The study looked at children ages one to six in 18 different daycare centers -- half of the children in each center were given a probiotic milk – which has added "healthy bacteria" similar to yogurt – and the other half were given a regular milk. The results found children given milk with the probiotic bacteria had fewer days of absence as well as a 17 percent reduction in respiratory infections and a 19 percent reduction in antibiotic treatment for respiratory infections. Previous research has found that probiotics may improve intestinal tract health, enhance the immune system, reduce allergies and lactose intolerance symptoms, and increase the absorption of various nutrients.

Hatakka, K. et al. Effect of long term consumption of probiotic milk on infections in children attending day care centres: double blind, randomised trial. British Medical Journal. 2001; 322: 1327-1329.

[Editor's note: While probiotic milk is not available to consumers, yogurt has contained probiotics for years.]

When it Comes to Drinking Milk, Mom Makes A Difference
News research provides further evidence that kids look to their moms when it comes to choosing what to drink and eat. Researchers surveyed more than 3,000 children and their mothers over a two-day period to see the relationship between the amount of milk the mothers drank compared to the children. The results showed that for every cup of milk mom drank, her child's intake increased by more than half a cup.

According to government statistics, most kids are not meeting calcium recommendations. Milk is an excellent source because it provides not only calcium but also eight other essential nutrients. For a free brochure full of tips for moms to help boost their milk intake, check out www.whymilk.com for the "Be a Model Mom" brochure.

Johnson, R. K. et al. Associations between the milk mothers drink and the milk consumed by their school-aged children. Family Economics and Nutrition Review. 2001; 13: 27-35.

Time for Teens to Trade in their Soda for Milk
Wake up teens, it's time to choose calcium and not carbonation. New research provides even more evidence that teens may not be getting the nutrients they need to build strong bones, which could place them at increased risk for fractures now and osteoporosis later in life. The study looked at the relationship between intake of nutrient-void beverages and bone mineral content of adolescent boys and girls over a six-year period. The researchers found that girls who consumed more low-nutrient beverages (including soft drinks, sugary juice drinks and iced teas) had significantly lower bone mineral content than those who drank less low-nutrient beverages. Additionally, the research showed that as consumption of low-nutrient beverages increased, milk consumption dropped. The authors suggest that low-nutrient beverages are replacing nutrient-rich milk, which may inevitably impact bone mass.

Whiting, S. J. et al. Relationship between carbonated and other low nutrient dense beverages and bone mineral content of adolescents. Nutrition Research.i 2001; 21.

[Editor's note: Children ages 4 to 8 should aim for 800 mg of calcium each day, or the equivalent of nearly three glasses of milk. Teenagers ages 9 to 18 need even more - 1,300-mg of calcium each day or at least four 8-ounce glasses of milk.]

Health Organization Reaffirms the Importance of Calcium
The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) just released a consensus opinion concluding that health professionals should focus on ensuring women are meeting their recommended levels of calcium. NAMS reviewed a wide variety of research on the important role calcium plays both before and after menopause in helping to prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, hypertension, colorectal cancer and obesity. They note that women who are at risk for low calcium intake usually have poor diets, are vegetarians or lactose intolerant. They state dairy products are among the best sources of calcium due to their low cost, high calcium concentration and nutritional value.

North American Menopause Society. The role of calcium in peri-and postmenopausal women: consensus opinion of the North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2001; 8 (2): 84-95

[Editor's note: Even if a person is lactose intolerant, research shows they may be able to enjoy milk and milk products. For more information check out www.whymilk.com for the "The Lowdown on Lactose Intolerance: Making the Most of Milk" brochure.]

Cheese Please
Did you know that cheese not only tastes great, it's good for you! Research suggests it can help prevent cavities, provides a powerful nutrient package and as part of a healthy diet, may even help people lose weight. Just one ounce of most cheeses provides 20 percent of the recommended daily calcium. And for people who are lactose intolerant, cheese is naturally low in lactose making it easy to enjoy. In addition, cheese contains many essential nutrients besides calcium including phosphorus, protein, vitamin A, riboflavin and zinc. Check out these tips to help enjoy the taste and nutrition cheese offers:

• Pita Power. Fill a whole-wheat pita with slices of Swiss cheese, smoked turkey breast and sliced apples.
  
• Momma Mia. Make cheesy stuffed spinach shells – simply mix lowfat cottage cheese, fresh Parmesan, mozzarella and spinach and stuff into cooked jumbo pasta shells. Top with pasta sauce and bake until cheese is melted. Season to taste.
  
• Quick Fix. Serve up some Muenster cheese cubes on multi-grain crackers.
  
• Pear-fect Combo. Put a slice of Cheddar on a whole-wheat cracker and top it off with a pear slice.

###

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.