12.22.11

Dr. Keith Ayoob: Why Flavored Milk in Schools is Important for Children's Nutrition

Kids' Favorite Lunch Option Now Lower in Calories and Sugar

You probably know what your kid eats for breakfast and for dinner, but do you know what you child is getting for lunch each day? Typically, kids get about 30% to 50% of their calories while at school, and this year, there's likely some big changes in store at your child's school.

Due to concerns about childhood obesity, some schools have made the decision to remove chocolate and other flavored milks from the cafeteria. Even though these bans have been well-intentioned, they have done more nutritional harm than good.

Lowfat milk is an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin and phosphorus, and a good source of protein, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-12 and niacin. With flavored milk you get all nine essential nutrients found in white milk, plus the taste-appeal kids go for again and again. That's important, because at least 6 in 10 children have diets that are deficient in calcium and vitamin D.

With the ongoing debate over flavored milk in schools, many of the nation's milk processors have been hard at work over the last five years with their local districts to lower the calories and sugar in this popular drink.

This year, kids' favorite school lunch drink is projected to have 38% less added sugar than 5 years ago, and just 31 calories more than white milk.

The pattern has been consistent. When flavored milk is removed from the lunchroom and only white milk is offered, there has been a dramatic decrease in milk consumption, according to several studies. If milk is not consumed with the noon meal, it's nearly impossible for children to meet their needs for calcium, vitamin D and potassium - which are already identified by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as limited in children's diets. Additionally, studies show that children who drink flavored milk meet more of their nutrient needs and get no more added sugars or fat than non-milk drinkers.1,2

The research is clear: Children who drink more milk - flavored or white - have better diets. Many of the nation's leading health and nutrition organizations recognize the value flavored milk plays in providing essential nutrients to children. These health organizations also recognize the small amount of added sugars in flavored milk to be a fair trade-off for the nutrients provided.

In the end, the most important factor is to allow for options. Flavored milk can help prevent the switch to a nutrient-void beverage choice. As children move into adolescence their milk intake often decreases while soft drink consumption doubles. Offering flavored milk in school cafeterias is a great strategy to help prevent this change.

Something else most people don't know: flavored milk has less added sugar than other sugar-sweetened drink and a whole lot more nutrition. There is no battle here. Flavored milk works for children.

About the Author

Keith-Thomas Ayoob is an Associate Clinical Professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City where he has maintained a clinical practice for over 25 years, specializing in obesity, child nutrition, and family dynamics. Much of his work also focuses on motivational counseling.

Dr. Ayoob was an American Dietetic Association national media spokesperson from 1995-2004. Participating in over 1000 interviews in all forms of media, his extensive television appearance list includes NBC's Today Show, the CBS Morning Show, ABC's Good Morning America, ABC World News Tonight, Maury, and PBS's Keeping Kids Healthy.

Dr Ayoob is a frequent guest on GMA Health with Dr. Tim Johnson on the ABC NewsNow network, Dr. Ayoob also writes frequently about consumer nutrition issues for ABCNews, in addition to his blog in USA Today. In 2005, he wrote The Uncle Sam Diet, the first book about the 2005 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Dr. Ayoob received his doctorate degree from Columbia University's Teachers College, his Master's from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and he did his undergraduate work at the University of California at Davis

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