It’s all about choices

Formerly adult onset, degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes and heart problems are striking our children at increasingly younger ages due to their being both overweight and undernourished. This generation is said to be the first with a life expectancy projected not to exceed their parents. Therefore, it becomes imperative that children learn healthy eating behaviors and lifestyles early in life.

A report recently released by the American Academy of Pediatrics on bone health and calcium intake stressed the importance of parental role modeling and calls for children to consume three age-appropriate servings of dairy foods per day (four servings for adolescents). The AAP noted that enjoying calcium-rich dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt during childhood and adolescence will help build strong bones and reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis later in life. The report additionally emphasized the importance of physical activity in building peak bone mass.

This report comes at a critical time, with USDA data indicating that seven out of 10 teen boys and nine out of 10 teen girls are not getting the calcium they need. In fact, 77 percent of children ages 9-19 are not getting the calcium they need, while the incidence of fractures and osteoporosis is rising.

The goal of health professionals, school officials and policymakers has become to make our schools an environment where children learn not only reading, writing and arithmetic, but also a healthy lifestyle to carry them into adulthood. A cornerstone of that goal is offering plain and flavored milk in schools, according to the AAP. In 2004, the AAP issued a policy statement recommending only low-fat plain and flavored milk, 100-percent fruit juices, and water be served or vended in schools. It has taken more than two years for schools to implement that advice.

Seventy-two percent of dietary calcium in the U.S. food supply comes from milk and other dairy foods. In addition to calcium, milk is the No. 1 source of several key nutrients in the American diet, including potassium, phosphorous and magnesium. In fact, the 2005 dietary guidelines committee recognized that children who consume more dairy foods have better overall diets, consume more nutrients and are more likely to achieve peak bone mass. Not surprisingly, research has shown that children who regularly avoid milk have lower bone mineral density and more bone fractures. Most of the studies on children and weight management are observational, which cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Despite this fact, in general, weight management studies in children suggest that increasing dietary calcium/dairy intake to recommended levels may play a role in promoting a healthy body weight, lowering the percentage of body fat, or preventing an unhealthy weight gain in children and adolescents.

There are a variety of ways to interest kids in drinking optimal amounts of milk as recommended by the AAP. Flavored milks are nutrient-rich and provide the exact same nutrients and benefits as unflavored milk. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, kids who drink flavored milk have higher calcium intakes without increasing their total fat and added sugar intakes compared with children who do not drink flavored milk. They are less likely to indulge in the candy bar or soda they may have otherwise chosen.

Schools in our country are now offering flavored milks in new packaging called the New Look of School Milk in re-sealable, kid-appealing packaging and flavors that stay colder, are easier to open and entice kids to drink 37 percent more milk as recent research has shown. Milk-based beverages are taking the place of soda in many vending machines. They are an improvement over what has been in the school vending machines, a healthy alternative to sodas and high-calorie sport drinks, and they provide a greater variety of milk products that kids can choose. However, some may not be 100-percent milk. Many schools have adopted milk vending machines or 3-A-Day of Dairy vending machines that offer 100 percent milk in either low-fat white or flavored varieties as well as other nutritious options including cheese and yogurt. All of these choices must fit the criteria outlined by the Federally Mandated Wellness Policy, which had to be in place by the beginning of the 2006 school year.

The overall goal of our schools in wellness should be to teach children in an environment that encourages a healthy lifestyle. Knowing that the most recent dietary guidelines listed low-fat and non-fat dairy foods among the “Food Groups to Encourage” along with fruits, vegetables and whole grains, including opportunities for physical activity and nutrition education are part of the equation. Offering nutritious products to model appropriate food choices throughout the school food system is key. These offerings should include the options to provide some of their three servings of dairy a day for strong bones and healthy bodies.

Health professionals today can help bring kids back to milk by learning about the wellness policies in your area, advocating for appealing packaging with the food service directors and principals, attending PTA meetings and serving on the School Health Advisory Councils to discuss why milk and other healthy options are necessary for children’s health. Only three out of 10 school-age children consume the recommended milk group servings needed each day to meet calcium requirements, and only two percent of children meet the requirements of the Food Guide Pyramid for all food groups.

Web Resources:

• www.3aday.org
• www.nutritionexplorations.org
• www.nationaldairycouncil.org
• www.mypyramid.gov