From the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s, consumption of milk by Americans declined, and consumption of sweetened beverages increased. The purpose of the What America Drinksstudy was to characterize current beverage consumption patterns in the United States using recent nationwide survey data. The analyses utilized data from more than 10,000 Americans ages 4 and older who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 and provided plausible dietary reports of food/beverage intakes. Relationships among selected patterns of beverage use, nutrient intakes and body mass index (BMI) were examined.
Milk may be nature's wellness drink that has been around for centuries, but the benefits are far from old-fashioned. It turns out that all milk drinkers have a leg up on other folks. For starters, studies suggest that people who regularly drink milk tend to have healthier diets that are richer in nutrients. They’re also more likely to be at a healthy weight. Milk drinkers may also have an edge when it comes to cardiovascular health, including blood pressure. Plus, no other beverage offers the same array of bone-building nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, protein and phosphorus, and has hundreds of studies supporting its link to strong bones. And there’s also emerging evidence that the nutrients in milk may play a role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Making sure that milk is always on the table is an easy way you can help build a strong family.
Milk is naturally nutrient-rich like no other beverage, and provides 9 essential nutrients that your family needs.
Reports
Even though two-thirds of adults and one-third of children in this country are overweight or obese, the topic of nutrition adequacy is often overlooked. Many Americans, including children and adolescents, are falling short of the essential nutrients they need. In fact, nine out of 10 Americans are missing key nutrients. How could we possibly be a nation that’s overweight yet undernourished? It’s an ironic paradox. However, that’s exactly the situation we’re in.
What America’s Missing explores the nation’s nutrient gap – the discrepancy between what we need and what we’re getting. The report identifies the specific nutrients and food groups we’re missing, and what it will take to help close the gap.
This report was created by the Milk Processor Education Program, with the assistance of the Dairy Research Institute of Dairy Management, Inc. It is based on national food consumption surveys including the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a program of the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
