To Archives

Health & Nutrition News Alert

September - October 2002 (Vol. 6 No. 5)

No Nonsense Solutions to the “Growing” Obesity Epidemic
A new research review identifies several causes to the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, including lack of physical activity, large portion sizes and increased intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks. The authors propose a “common sense approach” to the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity that focuses on both the home and school environments. These steps include setting aside time for healthy meals and physical activity, eliminating unhealthy foods – such as soft drinks and candy – from school vending machines and possible taxes on fast food and soft drinks, to name a few. In addition, the authors suggest that soft drinks might be a possible culprit because of their ability to raise blood sugar, whereas milk, which has a low ability to raise blood sugar, may help protect young adults from becoming obese.

A registered dietitian for the National Dairy Council and mother of two, Molly Pelzer, provides some no nonsense tips to help your child get adequate nutrition with foods they love:

• Yogurt Parfaits – Make breakfast time fun, quick and easy for the kids. Let them add fresh fruit (such as blueberries, strawberries or cut melon slices) to any flavored yogurt. Offer extra ingredients for texture such as raisins, granola or their favorite cereal.
  
  
• Plan Your Menu – If your child(ren) dine in the school cafeteria, ask them to bring home the school lunch menu so that you can decide together what foods he or she will be choosing. You can’t monitor them to make sure they eat all the vegetables, but you can help them to make their selections ahead of time.
  
  
• Set an Example – The most important thing parents can do to encourage their children to eat healthy is to show them! Provide healthy meal options at home – such as pastas with vegetables; lean meats and Parmesan cheese; milk with meals and lowfat yogurts and fruit for dessert. They are more likely to choose these foods if they see you doing so.
  
  
• Avoid Nutrient-Void Foods in Vending Machines – Encourage your child to grab a single-serve of milk or a serving of yogurt in the school lunch line instead of candy and soda from a machine. Also, talk to your child’s school administration about their school’s regulations on the availability of sodas and candy during school lunchtime.
  
  
• Take a Field Trip to the Grocery Store – Get your kids involved in selecting healthful food choices, including fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy foods by asking them to help you with the shopping. You’ll find that they may be more excited about eating these foods if they’ve helped pick them out.
  
  Ebbeling, C.B. et al. Childhood obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure. The Lancet. 2002; 360: 473-482.

More Evidence that Lowfat Dairy Provides Benefits Beyond Bones
Emerging research suggests that lowfat milk may help reduce women’s risk of ovarian cancer. Researchers studied the dietary intakes of 558 women with ovarian cancer and 607 women without the disease (with an average age of 55 years old) to determine associations between the risk for ovarian cancer and a several factors including: dietary fat, dairy products, calcium, vitamin D and lactose. Results showed that women with the highest intakes of calcium from dairy foods had a 45 percent reduced risk for ovarian cancer compared those with the lowest intakes. (Fat intake and intake of other dairy foods had no influence on risk of ovarian cancer.) Additionally, higher intakes of lactose and calcium – both present in dairy foods – were associated with a significantly lower risk of ovarian cancer. The researchers suggest that calcium and lactose may be markers for another unidentified beneficial component of dairy foods. “We’re encouraged by the results but recognize that this is still an emerging area where previous results have been conflicting,” said Greg Miller, Ph.D., F.A.C.N., executive vice president of nutrition and scientific affairs for the National Dairy Council. Researchers note that more research is needed to determine how milk and other dairy foods may work to reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer or other cancers. Goodman, M.T. et al.

Association of dairy products, lactose and calcium with the risk of ovarian cancer. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2002; 156: 148-157.

African American Women May Have the Most to Gain from Getting Enough vitamin D
As recent reports of rickets among African American children have been surfacing – researchers have turned their attention to the vitamin D status of their mothers as a possible culprit for this bone-weakening disease. In a study designed to examine the prevalence and risk factors for hypovitaminosis D (low levels of vitamin D in the blood), researchers looked at several factors among 1,546 African American women and 1,426 Caucasian women aged 15 to 49 including diet (vitamin D), sunlight exposure, residential location and season. Results showed that 10 times as many African American women as Caucasian women are vitamin D deficient. However, among both African American and Caucasian women, vitamin D levels were higher with consumption of milk. Additionally, hypovitaminosis D was found in 243 African American women who consumed the adequate intake of vitamin D through supplements. The researchers note that further examination of dietary recommendations may be needed for women who are at risk for hypovitaminosis.

Nesby-O’Dell, S. et al. Hypovitaminosis D prevalence and determinants among African American and white women of reproductive age: third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2002; 76: 187-192.

{Editor’s note: Previous studies have shown that vitamin D helps to promote the absorption of calcium and enhances bone mineralization. One 8-ounce serving of vitamin D-fortified milk provides 25 percent of the Daily Value for vitamin D.}

Dairy May Help Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer
New epidemiological research supports previous findings that dairy products may have cancer-fighting properties. Researchers examined the dietary trends of more than 88,000 women to evaluate whether intake of dairy products, calcium or vitamin D is associated with breast cancer risk. Among premenopausal women, consumption of dairy foods, especially nonfat and lowfat milk, was associated with reduced risk for breast cancer. For example, consuming more than one serving per day of lowfat dairy foods versus three or less servings per month was associated with a significant 32 percent reduced risk of breast cancer. There was no association between intake of dairy products, calcium or vitamin D and breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Previous research funded by the National Cancer Institute also found that women who drink milk on a daily basis may be less likely to develop breast cancer than those who drink little or no milk. Shin, M-H. et al. Intake of dairy products, calcium and vitamin D and risk of breast cancer.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2002; 94: 1301-1310.

Hjartaker, A., Laake, P. and Lund, E. Childhood and adult milk consumption and risk of premenopausal breast cancer in a cohort of 48,844 women - the Norwegian women and cancer study. International Journal of Cancer. 2001; 93: 888-893.

FAST FACTS

Dairy Makes It’s “Whey” into Schools
Recent changes in child nutrition regulations allow the use of whey protein concentrate, an increasingly popular dairy ingredient, in foods served as part of school lunch programs. As a natural, clean-tasting ingredient, whey proteins can improve the nutritional benefits of the foods being served to children in schools. Whey protein concentrate functions as an ideal fat replacer/reducer in a variety of food products, while adding important nutrients. For example, whey protein concentrate contains about 500mg of calcium for every 10g of whey product. Food products that can incorporate whey as an ingredient and are popular with kids include hot dogs, ravioli, pizza, soups, sauces and bakery goods.

Here’s a New Twist on the Fruit and Cheese Plate...
Ever try green apple flavored Brie? Soon you can! Research scientists have developed a new process to create cheese in almost any flavor imaginable. The cheese can be infused with fruit flavors, such as green apple and blueberry, and colored to match. This gives cheese an added appeal for kids while enabling them to get the important nutrients that cheese provides including calcium and other essential nutrients.

{Editor’s note: New b-roll footage where kids had the opportunity to be one of the first to try blueberry and sour apple-flavored cheese is available. For more information on the colored and flavored cheese technology or to obtain a copy of the b-roll package, please call Kathy Cummings at 847-995-8400, ext. 3044 or send an email to kathy.cummings@tuckerknapp.com.}

###

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.