A Journal of the American Medical Association study reports a significant increase in the incidence of forearm fractures in adolescents during 1999-2001 compared to 30 years prior in 1969-1971, citing poor calcium intake during peak bone growth periods, change in physical activity or both as the contributing factor (1).
Additionally, according to the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, adolescent boys who consumed three servings of milk a day had increases in bone density twice as great as those who drank juice; the same boys had higher intakes of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D (2).
Both studies reinforce the fact that children need calcium to protect their bone health; yet statistics show children are consuming far below the daily recommended intake of 800-1,300 mg per day. Nearly nine out of 10 teenage girls and seven out of 10 teenage boys fail to get the recommended amount of calcium in their diets (3).
"One of the easiest ways to get more calcium in a child's diet is with milk," states Karen Amorde-Spalding, registered dietitian, MS, CSP, manager of Clinical Nutrition at Children's Hospital and Research Center in Oakland. "Flavored milks and other new milk-based carbonated drinks make the nutrient-rich beverage even more pleasing to children." Consider the benefits:
- Ounce for ounce, regular and flavored milks offers more calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients than fruit drinks and soda. Flavored milks, such as chocolate, are more tolerated by those with lactose maldigestion (4). Flavored milks are an option to replace sweet snacks void of nutrients.
"Calcium is an essential nutrient for growing bones. Milk contains not only calcium, but vitamin D and a unique package of nutrients that contribute to overall bone and muscle health," says Amorde-Spalding. "Weak bones due to poor calcium intake are unacceptable. Parents need to put milk back in their child's diet."
Try one of these top 10 nutritious snack pairings. Combine eight ounces of low-fat flavored or unflavored milk with:
1. a piece of fruit
2. skim milk string cheese
3. whole wheat crackers
4. raw veggies and dip
5. trail mix
6. low-fat pudding
7. peanut butter and crackers
8. half of English muffin topped with low-fat cheese
9. graham crackers
10. cereal
For more snack tips and articles about healthy eating and exercise, log-on to
http://www.mealsmatter.org,
http://www.dairycouncilofca.org/pressroom or
http://www.dairycouncilofca.org/pressroom/images/DRINK_flierFINAL.pdf.
1 – Volek, JS et al Increasing fluid milk favorably affects bone mineral density responses to resistance training in adolescent boys. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2003; 103:1353-1356.
2 – Khosla S, et al Journal of the American Medical Association. 2003; 290(11): 1479-1485.
3 - USDA Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals 1996.
4- Dehkordi, N et al Lactose malabsorption as influenced by chocolate milk, skim milk, sucrose, whole milk and lactic cultures. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 1995; 95: 484-486.