To Archives

Health & Nutrition News Alert

November - December 2001 (Vol. 5 No. 6)

Milk Helps Put the Brakes on Brittle Bones of Asian Women
Asian women – who are often petite and small boned – are at significant risk for osteoporosis. Additionally, the Asian diet is typically low in calcium (less than 500 mg/day on average), which increases the risk of this brittle bone disease. New research demonstrates that adding milk to the diets of Asian women may be an effective strategy to help halt height and bone loss. This two-year randomized controlled trial of 200 postmenopausal Asian women examined the impact of adding dry milk containing 800 mg of calcium to their daily diets. Those women in the milk supplementation group lost less height as well as less bone mineral density (BMD) compared to those who did not receive the dry milk. In addition, the extra milk resulted in a reduction in bone loss by more than 50 percent. The women receiving the dry milk also had higher intakes of vitamin D, protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and a range of other nutrients.

Lau, E.M.C. et al. Milk supplementation of the diet of postmenopausal Chinese women on a low calcium intake retards bone loss. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research . 2001; 16: 1704-1709.

{Editor’s Note: See also “More Evidence About Diet’s Role in Building Better Bones” as based on recent research presented at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research annual meeting, for additional new research related to osteoporosis and bone health.}

Aging Americans Need A Nutrition Lesson
As baby boomers age, health professionals are examining their special nutritional needs. According to an expert advisory panel including renowned bone health expert Robert Heaney, M.D., the quality of most older adults’ diets needs to be improved. Sponsored by National Dairy Council, the panel found that only 1 percent of older adults have a food intake pattern consistent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid, with dairy and fruit intakes particularly low. The authors note that older adults (ages 65 and over) are falling short of several essential nutrients including calcium and vitamin D, both of which are provided in a glass of milk. Previous research has also found that maintaining a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, even when taking medication, can help prevent bone loss.

McBean, L. et al. Healthy eating in later years. Nutrition Today. 2001; 36: 192-200. The effect of low-dose continuous estrogen and progesterone therapy with calcium and vitamin D on bone in elderly women. Annals of Internal Medicine . 1999; 130: 897-904.

{Editor’s Note: Milk contains both calcium and vitamin D in one package and experts agree that food is the best way to meet your nutritional needs.}

Calcium May Help Reduce the Formation of Kidney Stones
New research findings refute the myth that milk and other calcium-rich Milk Group foods should be restricted among people prone to kidney stones. The authors note that calcium helps neutralize the effect of oxalate, a compound in fruits, vegetables, beans and whole-grains that may trigger the formation of kidney stones in some people. Additionally, those individuals who form stones and are on a high calcium diet, have a lower occurrence of stone formation than those people on a low calcium diet.

Bihl G and Meyers A. Recurrent renal stone disease – advances in pathogenesis and clinical management. The Lancet . 2001; 358: 651-656.

Have Your Daily Dose of “D”
When it comes to bone building, vitamin D is often dubbed a calcium sidekick, but new research shows that it may play an even more critical role in the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures than previously believed. A new study examined 161 healthy postmenopausal women who were at risk for osteoporosis. The researchers looked at vitamin D levels, dietary calcium intake, bone mineral density and body mass index. Results showed that approximately 40 percent of the women had vitamin D insufficiency, which was associated with low bone mass, and a higher risk for osteoporosis. The researchers state supplementing the diet of postmenopausal women with vitamin D fortified milk and Milk Group foods is an “inexpensive, simple and safe” way to reverse vitamin D insufficiency and improve bone mass.

Mezqyuita-Raya, P. et al. Relation between vitamin D insufficiency, bone density and bone metabolism in healthy postmenopausal women. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research . 2001; 16(8): 1408-1415.

{Editor’s Note: Just one 8-ounce serving of vitamin D-fortified milk provides 25 percent of the daily value of vitamin D.}

###

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.