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Health & Nutrition News Alert

March - April 2002 (Vol. 6 No. 2)

Minorities Benefit from Increased Milk, Cheese and Yogurt Intake
A recent review of 30 years of research on lactose intolerance discusses the health consequences of avoiding milk, cheese and yogurt, which can be particularly serious for African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans. Studies show increasing calcium intake from dairy foods improves overall nutritional status and reduces the risk of calcium-related chronic diseases, such as hypertension, stroke, osteoporosis and certain cancers. People who have trouble digesting lactose can still enjoy milk, cheese and yogurt. Research has identified simple strategies – such as drinking smaller amounts of milk with meals – that maximize dairy tolerance.

{Editor’s note: It’s important to check with a doctor for proper diagnosis of lactose intolerance. Many people mistakenly eliminate dairy from the diet because they think they are lactose intolerant when the symptoms may be attributed to other causes.}

Here are some tips on how to gradually add milk, cheese and yogurt to your diet:

• Drink milk in small portions throughout the day with meals or snacks.
  
• Look for lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk in the dairy case at your store.
  
• Enjoy aged hard cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby, Swiss and Parmesan, which are naturally low in lactose and easy to enjoy.
  
• Make yogurt part of your daily meal plan. Live, active cultures in yogurt help digest the lactose for you.

Jarvis, J. and G. Miller. Overcoming the barrier of lactose intolerance to reduce health disparities. Journal of the National Medical Association. 2002; 94: 55-66.

More Dairy Makes A Difference Among African American Women
New research investigating how lactose maldigestion or intolerance affects calcium intake among African American premenopausal women, found that the better dairy is tolerated, the higher the calcium intake and the greater the weight loss benefits. The researchers examined 50 premenopausal African American women, who were classified as either lactose tolerant (experienced zero to mild symptoms) or lactose intolerant (experienced moderate to severe symptoms) after consuming about one cup of milk. Results showed that while both groups fell below the recommended daily requirements for calcium, the average intake was higher among the lactose tolerant group, whose major sources of dietary calcium were milk, cheese and yogurt. For the lactose intolerant group, milk, cheese and yogurt made up only 12 percent of dietary calcium. Additionally, the group who consumed more milk, cheese and yogurt had a lower body mass index than those with lower dietary calcium intakes. In order to better meet calcium needs, the researchers suggest that African American women who are lactose intolerant consume milk with meals and choose hard cheeses or yogurt with active cultures to aid digestion.

Buchowski, M.S. et al. Dietary calcium intake in lactose maldigesting intolerant and tolerant African-American women. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2002; 21: 47-54.

Is Your Teen a Fast Food Fanatic?
New research that looked at adolescent fast food frequency and nutrient intake suggests that kids are failing to make the nutrient grade when it comes to dining on the go. A recent study of 4,746 students in grades 7 though 12 found that frequent fast food restaurant use (three or more times per week) is associated with a less nutritious diet and higher fat intake. Specifically, frequent fast food restaurant visits were linked with a significantly lower intake of milk, fruits, vegetables and grains. Compared to those teens who reported not eating at a fast food restaurant recently, female teens who frequented fast food restaurants reported 45 percent greater soft drink consumption and 21 percent less milk consumption. Male teens with frequent fast food restaurant use reported 42 percent greater soft drink consumption and 22 percent less milk consumption.

French, S.A. et al. Fast food restaurant use among adolescents: associations with nutrient intake, food choices and behavioral and psychosocial variables. International Journal of Obesity. 2001; 25: 1823-1833.

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.

{Editor’s note: Recent research in children and adults suggests that dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt – which include nutrients essential to healthy growth and development – may also help reduce the risk of obesity, which has been increasing steadily in the U.S.}

Food First for Vitamins and Minerals
The message to moms from Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics is to give their children food first over multivitamin-mineral supplements in order to foster healthier eating patterns. A recent study looked at 192 pairs of mothers and their 5- to 7-year-old daughters to examine diet quality and predictors of multivitamin-mineral use, including maternal eating patterns and attitudes about food and health. The researchers found that mothers who took dietary supplements were more likely to give dietary supplements to their daughters. While both the girls who took supplements and those who did not exceeded their daily nutritional recommendations, the intakes from most of the five food groups as recommended by the Food Guide Pyramid were low. This pattern led the researchers to believe that the girls were getting added nutrients from fortified foods. Additionally, the researchers note that the American Dietetic Association and the 1989 Recommended Dietary Allowance suggest that the intake of a wide variety of food is preferred over dietary supplements or fortification.

Lee, Y., et. al. Maternal influences on 5-to7-year-old girls’ intake of multivitamin-mineral supplements. Pediatrics. 2002; 109 (3): 1-7.

Americans Love Cheese!
Be it Cheddar, Gouda, Swiss or Parmesan, Americans “love the taste of cheese.” In fact, a recent survey shows that 97 percent of consumers agree that adding cheese to a dish gives it more flavor, nutrition (95 percent) and 85 percent describe cheese as being as American as apple pie. For more cheese information and recipes, visit www.ilovecheese.com.

Source: MRI Double Base 2000; DMI Core Issues Tracking Study, Sept. 2001.

New B-Roll Package Available
Looking for new footage for upcoming stories? The National Dairy Council has recently updated its generic b-roll with valuable new action shots of milk, cheese and yogurt. This updated b-roll has a new feature – time encoding on each section including the following locations: On Location – Home/Office, At Store, At Doctor’s Office, At School, At Play/On the Move and Processing Plant footage.

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the b-roll package, please call 312/988-2494 or send an email to ndc@webershandwick.com.

Calcium Nutrition Education Grants
National Dairy Council and the Milk Processor Education Program are introducing new nutrition education grants for innovative community programs that address the low calcium intake of children and adolescents. A total of four $7,500 awards will be granted. The deadline for submitting applications is Wednesday, April 17, 2002.

For more information regarding selection criteria, process and application instructions, visit www.nationaldairycouncil.org and click on the “Calcium Nutrition Education Grants” link.

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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.