St. Louis Dairy Council

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WARN: WELL-INTENDED SCHOOL LUNCH DECISIONS MAY HAVE UNINTENDED NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH

New Campaign Calls On Moms to “Raise Their Hands” To Help Kids Get Essential Nutrients by Keeping Lowfat Flavored Milk On The Menu

St. Louis, MO – In attempts to improve the nutritional quality of school meals, there have been several strides forward – including the removal of soft drinks and other less nutritious menu options. However, some schools and activist groups are calling for a new change that many health professionals agree could cause more harm than good when it comes to children’s health: removing chocolate milk from the lunch line.

“Groups calling for chocolate milk to be taken out of the cafeteria due to concerns over added sugars are not looking at the big picture,” said New Jersey-based registered dietitian, exercise physiologist and mom Felicia Stoler, DCN, MS, RD. “Nearly 70 percent of the milk children choose to drink in school is flavored, which offers the same nine essential nutrients as white milk, including a number of nutrients that kids are not getting enough of such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium.”

The nation’s leading health and nutrition organizations – including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association, and School Nutrition Association – recognize the valuable role that milk, including flavored milk, can play in meeting daily nutrient needs. All recognize that the small amount of added sugar in flavored milk is an acceptable trade-off for the nutrients provided. In addition, studies show that children who drink chocolate milk have better quality diets, do not have higher overall intakes of sugar, fat or calories, and are not heavier than non-flavored milk drinkers.

“If we’re looking for a culprit for childhood obesity, milk is not it,” said Stoler. “Chocolate milk is just as nutrient-rich as unflavored milk, and if it helps children drink more milk, then that’s a positive strategy.”

The nation’s dairy farmers and milk processors are joining the national conversation on healthy school lunches to provide moms with the facts about the nutritional benefits of drinking lowfat or fat free chocolate milk and to help keep chocolate milk in schools with a new campaign called Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk. Launching today, the campaign includes a new Web site (RaiseYourHand4Milk.com) where moms can learn the facts, read the science and show their support for chocolate milk by signing the Raise Your Hand petition.

“As a mom and nutrition expert with a particular focus on kids’ health and wellness, I’ve joined this campaign to make sure moms know the facts and raise their hands,” said Stoler. “Moms can’t be with their kids at every meal. I think it’s essential to make sure schools are offering nutrient-rich options that kids will actually choose without mom standing over them.”

A new study presented at the American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo on Oct. 20, 2009, found that when flavored milk was removed from a school district in Connecticut, milk consumption dropped by as much as 67 percent.

“It’s important for parents and school districts to recognize the potential implications of removing chocolate milk from school meal offerings,” said study co-author Margie Saidel, MPH, RD, Vice President for Nutrition, Sustainability and Community for the Chartwells School Dining Services, one of the country’s leading providers of school meals. “As we demonstrated, there could be well-meaning but negative consequences from this type of decision. National food consumption surveys show that milk ranks among the top sources of several nutrients including calcium, protein, potassium, magnesium, riboflavin and zinc. With that in mind, it seems clear that there are far better ways to trim calories and added sugar from the menu than removing chocolate milk, which makes so many positive contributions to children’s diets.”

Saidel said the idea of removing chocolate milk has been raised in many of the 600 school districts served by Chartwells, representing 2.5 million students. Yet, she’s hopeful the study will help educate schools and parents on the possible ramifications of that decision.

Leading health professionals recognize the valuable role milk and flavored milk can play in a child’s diet to help them get the three servings of dairy they need each day.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, in a policy statement discouraging soft drinks in schools, and in its report on optimizing children’s and adolescents’ bone health and calcium intakes, encourages consumption of nutritious beverages including lowfat or fat free white or flavored milk, water or real fruit or vegetable juice as healthful alternatives to soft drinks.

“The small amount of extra sugar in chocolate milk should not negate its nutritional benefits,” said Bob Murray, MD, FAAP, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on School Health and author of the soft drinks policy statement. “It’s so important for children to not miss out on the milk they need during these critical periods of growth.”

The American Dietetic Association states that “by increasing the palatability of nutrient-dense foods/beverages, sweeteners can promote diet healthfulness.” This concept is also supported by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans which states that enhancing the palatability of nutrient-dense foods, such as milk, may improve nutrient intake.

In addition, the American Heart Association (AHA) supports a positive role for added sugars to help increase intakes of nutrient-rich foods including dairy foods. Specifically, in their scientific statement on Dietary Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health, the AHA states, “when sugars are added to otherwise nutrient-rich foods, such as sugar-sweetened dairy products like flavored milk and yogurt … the quality of children’s and adolescents’ diet improves, and in the case of flavored milks, no adverse effects on weight status were found.”

How Moms Can Raise Their Hands

The nation’s dairy farmers and milk processors are asking moms to raise their hands in support of chocolate milk by visiting RaiseYourHand4Milk.com or the Raise Your Hand For Chocolate Milk page on Facebook.

The sites feature facts and science on chocolate milk’s role in children’s diets and ask moms to sign the Raise Your Hand petition to show their support and help reinforce the importance of giving kids nutrient-rich options like chocolate milk at home and in school.

Moms visiting RaiseYourHand4Milk.com can also view video messages from other moms – including pediatricians, dietitians and celebrities – sharing why they are raising their hands in support of chocolate milk.

National Dairy Council® (NDC) is the nutrition research, education and communications arm of Dairy Management Inc™. On behalf of U.S. dairy farmers, NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier society, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC comprises a staff of nutrition science researchers, registered dietitians and communications experts dedicated to educating the public on the health benefits of consuming milk and milk products throughout a person’s lifespan.

In addition, NDC funds independent research to aid in the ongoing discovery of information about dairy foods’ important role in a healthy lifestyle. This research provides insights to industry for new dairy product innovation. In partnership with its network of state and regional dairy councils, NDC disseminates nutrition programs, materials and research to support government recommendations for improved nutrition for Americans, including consumption of at least three servings of nutrient-rich low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products a day.

The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, through MilkPEP, runs the national Milk Mustache "got milk?"® Campaign, a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the health benefits of milk. For more information, go to www.whymilk.com. Lowe New York is the creative agency for The National Milk Mustache "got milk"® Campaign.

NFL, National Dairy Council Take Aim at Childhood Obesity with Fuel Up to Play 60
National Youth-Lead Effort to Expand Healthy Foods, Physical Activity in School Environment

Chicago, IL - The NFL and National Dairy Council recently launched Fuel Up to Play 60, a new initiative aimed at tackling childhood obesity by giving youth a voice in changing the school nutrition and physical activity environment. The program will reach 36 million youth in 60,000 elementary, middle and high schools during the 2009/2010 school year.

The youth-led program empowers children and teens to take charge of their health and work with school leaders to create more opportunities for 60 minutes of daily physical activity and to make more healthy foods available, such as low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Since more than 50 percent of a student’s daily calories are consumed at school, the school environment is an ideal setting for teaching these healthy behaviors so they become lifelong habits.[1]

"NFL is a proud partner of Fuel Up to Play 60. It is an important component of our overall NFL Play 60 campaign," says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "Our goal is to raise awareness about the importance of staying fit and eating right, especially for America's young people. This partnership is a powerful alliance to address childhood obesity and emphasize the role of daily physical activity in a healthy lifestyle."

"National Dairy Council is honored to work together with the NFL on Fuel Up to Play 60," said Thomas P. Gallagher, chief executive officer of Dairy Management Inc., the managing organization for National Dairy Council. "Child nutrition, particularly in schools, has been a cornerstone of National Dairy Council for nearly a century. This program centers on youth taking the lead in changing the school environment through increasing opportunities for eating healthier and getting more physical activity."

Schools and youth enroll for the program at FuelUpToPlay60.com. Youth log on to the web site and pledge to eat healthier and be more physically active; track their daily healthy behaviors; and earn points to win great prizes. Enrolled schools receive a Fuel Up to Play 60 School Wellness Kit with in-school promotion materials and recommended healthy eating and physical activity strategies that youth teams can implement at their schools. Student leadership ensures that new food and play opportunities will work in their unique school environments and keep youth at the top of their game.

The Fuel Up to Play 60 nationwide competition rounds out the program and is built on student-led participation, both individual and in school. The competition culminates in April 2010 with the awarding of one national school and one individual youth winner.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is a pro-active response to the growing obesity epidemic and declining physical fitness of America’s youth. The program is designed to help reverse the trend toward increased weight and sedentary lifestyles among America’s children.

Nearly 32 percent of all children and adolescents, approximately 23 million kids, are now overweight or obese[2]. Over the past 30 years, this trend has assumed epidemic proportions, with the proportion of overweight children aged 6 to 11 years growing from 6.5 percent to 17.0 percent, and rates among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years jumping from 5.0 percent to 17.6 percent[i].These climbing obesity rates increase children’s risk for diet-related chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.[3]^,[4],[5]

Research shows that most American children are overfed and undernourished.[6] While most consume more calories than recommended by the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, only 2 percent of school-aged children consume the recommended daily number of servings from all major food groups.[7] And 62 percent of children aged 9 to 13 years do not participate in any organized physical activity during their non-school hours. Almost 23 percent do not engage in any free-time physical activity at all.[8]

Fuel Up to Play 60 builds upon existing NFL and NDC programs, including NFL PLAY 60: The NFL Movement for an Active Generation, which encourages kids and their families to “get up and play an hour a day.” Fuel Up to Play 60 is based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends consumption of nutrient-rich foods (such as low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and 60 minutes of physical activity a day.[9]

In September, the United States Department of Agriculture discussed a plan to develop a Memorandum of Understanding between USDA, the NFL and DMI to allow USDA programs and Fuel Up to Play 60 to collaborate and collectively tackle the critical issue of children's health. More information about Fuel Up to Play 60 is available at FuelUpToPlay60.com.

[1] United States Department of Agriculture, Team Nutrition Call to Action: Healthy School Nutrition Environments, http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn.www.fns.usda.gov/tn.

[2] U.S. Surgeon General, “Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences,” online at www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_consequences.htm, accessed March 23, 2009.

[3] Kumanyika SK, Obarzanek E, Stettler N, Bell R, Field AE, Fortmann SP, Franklin BA, Gillman MW, Lewis CE, Poston WC, Stevens J, Hong Y. Population-based prevention of obesity. The need for comprehensive promotion of healthful eating, physical activity, and energy balance. A scientific statement from American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention, Interdisciplinary Committee for Prevention. Circulation 2008;118:428-64.

[4] De Ferranti SD, Gauvreau K, Ludwig D, Neufeld EJ, Newburger JW, Rifai N. Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in American adolescents. Findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Circulation, 2004;110:2494-2497.

[5] Cruz ML, Goran MI. The metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents. Current Diabetes Reports 2004;4:53-62.

[6] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. 6th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 2005.

[7] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Analysis, Nutrition and Evaluation, Children’s Diets in the Mid-1990s: Dietary Intake and its Relationship with School Meal Participation, CN-01-CD1, by Phil Gleason and Carol Suitor. Project Officer, Ed HerZog. Alexandria, VA: 2001.

[8] Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical activity levels among children aged 9-13 years: United States, 2002. J Am Med Assoc, 2003;290:1308-9.

[9] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. 6th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 2005.

Vitamin “D-ficiency” Effects in Children Go Beyond Bones

Two new studies conducted by Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University published in the September issue of Pediatrics show that insufficient levels of vitamin D in children and adolescents (participants aged 1 to 21 and 12 to 19, respectively) are associated with cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, high blood sugar and metabolic syndrome, independent of the level of body fat. However, both studies noted that randomized clinical trials are needed to determine whether low vitamin D status in youth impacts subsequent development of adult cardiovascular disease. Low levels of vitamin D were prevalent among non-Hispanic blacks, Mexican-Americans, girls, and older and obese children and adolescents. Lower vitamin D levels were also linked to time spent indoors watching TV, playing video games and using the computer. Children and adolescents who drank milk less than once a week were 2.9 times more likely to be vitamin D deficient than those who drank milk more often.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends doubling the amount of vitamin D for infants, children and adolescents from 200 units per day beginning in the first two months of life, to 400 units per day beginning in the first few days of life. As children get older, low-fat and fat-free milk is considered the best dietary source of vitamin D. In fact, vitamin D-fortified milk is the primary food source of vitamin D in the American diet and includes other essential nutrients including, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A and B12, riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents).

Fight the Freshman 15 with Low-Fat Dairy

Many first-year college students report weight gain due to unhealthy eating habits, late night snacking and lack of exercise. A study in the August issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggests that low-fat dairy intake may be associated with less weight gain, lower body fat and better overall diet quality in freshman students. For one academic year, 76 freshmen who were approximately 19 years old completed daily food records, physical activity logs and were measured twice for height, weight, waist circumference and percentage of body fat over an 8-month period.

Results showed that, on average, college students consumed less than 1.5 servings of total dairy each day and none of the students met the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation for three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods per day. Those who consumed higher amounts of low-fat dairy foods had lower gain in body weight and reductions in waist circumference and percent total body fat. A related study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that mealtime milk availability, attitudes toward health and nutrition, and healthy weight maintenance behaviors were among factors associated with higher calcium intake. This research also recommended improving the accessibility to milk during meals, as well as other effective nutrition intervention scenarios, to help improve calcium intake among young adults.

Ask the Expert: Healthy Habits for Back to School

Expert: Robert Murray, MD, Director, Center for Healthy Weight & Nutrition, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio

Question: I’m a working mother of two children ages 8 and 10. As they have recently headed back to school, I want to make sure they are getting the best nutrition. While they have a well-balanced meal during our dinners at home, I want to ensure they also eat the right foods at school through the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. Do you have any recommendations on which foods I should encourage them to choose and tips for doing so?

Answer: It’s great that you are taking such an active role in your children’s nutrition and development. Since they participate in the school breakfast and lunch programs, they are already off to a great start. Child nutrition programs provide many healthy options and set a great example to help children establish a healthful eating pattern. According to the USDA, children who participate in the National School Lunch Program are more likely to consume three of the Food Groups to Encourage: dairy, fruits and vegetables.

Overall, remind them to choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat and fat-free nutrient-rich dairy foods first. For example, fat-free yogurt with fruit, or whole grain cereal with low-fat milk and a banana are delicious and nutritious breakfast choices. As for beverages, encourage them to drink low-fat or fat-free plain or ﬂavored milk, such as chocolate or strawberry, which provides a unique nutrient package including calcium, vitamin D and protein, among many other key nutrients that children need. Including these foods as part of a child’s daily diet can start them off on the right foot so they can grow and do their very best in school.

For more information about child nutrition and tips for your family, visit www.NutritionExplorations.org.

Teens: Mom Is Right. Eat Your Veggies and Drink Your Milk. Your Blood Pressure Will Thank You!

St. Louis, Missouri, October, 2008. Adolescents with high blood pressure may benefit from the DASH eating plan.
A recent study published in the Journal of Pediatrics looked at adolescents with high blood pressure to examine the effectiveness of two different nutrition interventions aimed at improving dietary intake and blood pressure outcomes. The study’s participants, ages 11 to 18, were randomly assigned to either a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan (diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods) or a routine care intervention. Both interventions included one face-to-face counseling session for each participant with a dietitian and the participant’s parents. The DASH-intervention participants also received phone calls and mailings by trained health professionals and a DASH diet manual that included detailed information on the DASH eating plan guidelines including calorie and serving recommendations. The routine-care intervention participants received an “Eat Right to Lower Blood Pressure” booklet that included general dietary recommendations for reducing blood pressure, but didn’t include specific calorie or serving recommendations. The results showed that following the DASH intervention, which involved consuming more low-fat dairy foods, fruits, potassium and magnesium and less total fat, was more effective than routine care at lowering systolic blood pressure and improving diet quality.

(St. Louis, MO – August, 2008) A recent study provided more evidence that calcium plays a key role in helping kids build strong bones. The study, published in the journal Bone found that higher intakes of calcium, such as those recommended by the USDA, may significantly improve bone health in children.^[1] Researchers reviewed data from 21 clinical trials with more than 3,800 children to determine how the intake of dietary calcium affects bone mineral content (BMC), an indicator of bone strength. The data showed that children who did not get enough calcium prior to the start of the studies experienced a significant increase in bone strength--approximately 25 times greater than children who already consumed adequate amounts of calcium. Equally important, the study suggests that there may be a calcium threshold for bone health – that is, the level of calcium intake that triggers a significant effect.
“Dairy and other foods that are rich in calcium are thought to be important for the growth and strengthening of bones in children and adolescents,” said Michael Huncharek MD, MPH, Director of the Meta-Analysis Research Group and lead author of the study. “In the US, dairy products tend to be the preferred source of calcium since diets that exclude dairy are often deficient in this important nutrient. The new findings show that for those children who have inadequate calcium intake, increasing dietary calcium has a significant impact on bone development. Since most children don’t get enough calcium, meeting calcium recommendations may help to prevent future osteoporosis.”
Currently, a large majority of children and adolescents in the U.S. do not meet the daily recommended calcium intake. According to the USDA, seven out of 10 boys and nine out of 10 girls are not consuming the calcium they need for strong bones.^[2],[3] Consuming at least 3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods each day as part of a healthy diet, as recommended by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, helps reduce the risk for osteoporosis.
“It’s never too early to make bone health a priority. This study supports additional research that shows milk is an important source of calcium which helps build and maintain strong bones, muscles and teeth in children,” said Jennifer DeHoog, R.D.,L.D., Nutrition Educator with St. Louis District Dairy Council. “Consuming 3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods each day gives children the calcium they need, along with eight other essential nutrients including potassium, phosphorus and protein.”

For more information on bone health and the health benefits of dairy foods, check out www.stldairycouncil.org.

[1] Huncharek M, Muscat J, Kupelnick B. Impact of dairy products and dietary calcium on bone-mineral content in children: results of a meta-analysis. Bone 2008;43:312-321.

[2] What We Eat in America, NHANES 2001-2002 : Usual Nutrient Intakes from Food Compared to Dietary Reference Intakes; http://www.ars.usda.gov/foodsurvey.

[3] Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1997.

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE DOESN'T MEAN DAIRY AVOIDANCE

September, 2009 - A recent review paper from the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine notes that recent studies suggest that current estimates of lactose maldigestion may be grossly overestimated. Clinical trials show that even those individuals who do maldigest lactose could overcome adverse symptoms by a few simple dietary strategies. It’s important that people with lactose intolerance do not miss out on the enjoyment and important health benefits of low-fat and fat-free dairy foods. Visit nationaldairycouncil.org for tips on how those with lactose intolerance can keep dairy foods in their diet.

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DAIRY INDUSTRY HELPS MEET CONSUMERS TASTE PREFERENCES WHILE STILL MEETING NUTRITIONAL NEEDS

September, 2009 - For those who enjoy the taste of reduced-fat (2%) or whole milk, the rich tastes can now be enjoyed with less fat. New fluid milk products offer fat-free milk with the taste of reduced-fat milk (2%), as well as low-fat (1%) milk with the taste of whole milk, which could ultimately help adults and children further meet important nutrient requirements each day while enjoying the taste they prefer in these low-fat and fat-free alternatives.

In addition to potassium, phosphorus, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents) that individuals count on from milk, these new products continue to provide an excellent source of calcium - providing 35-40 percent of the daily value of calcium in each eight-ounce serving.

Additionally, these milks provide an excellent source of protein with between 10 and 11 grams of protein in every eight-ounce glass. Depending on the region, these delicious milks are available in white and chocolate-flavored varieties, in gallon, quart sizes and 12-oz bottles for on-the-go convenience in the dairy aisle at many supermarkets.

MILK IT DOES A PLANET GOOD

September, 2009 - Dairy farmers, dairy processors, milk delivery companies and local retailers are working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of fluid milk production by 25 percent over the next 10 years the equivalent of taking 1.25 million passenger cars off the road each year. Read more about how dairy farmers and the rest of the dairy industry are committed to the health and wellness of people, communities and the earth.

DAIRY FOODS PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HEALTH BENEFITS
Important Findings for Children and Adults

July, 2009 - The economy has Americans digging deeper to save money, so it is more important than ever to make nutritious choices without putting additional strain on the wallet. The timing couldn’t be worse, as many Americans are overweight, yet undernourished when it comes to critical nutrients. As a nation with a calorie surplus, it’s time to invest in our health by focusing on nutrient-rich foods that provide more nutrition per calorie and per penny. Fortunately, nutrient-rich dairy foods remain an affordable choice for people looking to get more nutrients for their dollar.

“Americans are striving to improve nutrition and healthy eating habits,” says Dr. Penny M. Kris-Etherton Ph.D., RD, professor of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University. “The review of research featured in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition underscores the importance of dairy foods in a daily diet.”

Together, low-fat and fat-free milk, cheese and yogurt provide a unique package of nine essential nutrients at a low cost per serving – calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents). While the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends those aged 9 and older consume three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods each day, Americans on average consume only half of the recommendation each day. Research featured in the JACN supplement shows consuming more dairy foods:

·         Helps kids meet nutrient needs. Concern over child nutrition is at an all-time high and children between the ages of 9-18 need, on average, four servings of dairy a day to meet calcium recommendations and at least three servings to meet magnesium recommendations.

·         Strengthens bones. Dairy foods contribute to bone health at every age. Three servings of dairy foods each day help provide the bone-building nutrients calcium, protein and vitamin D, which are important for strong bones.

·         Assists in maintaining a healthy weight. A diet containing three daily servings of dairy foods has a favorable impact on body weight and composition compared to diets containing less than the recommended amount.

·         Builds a more balanced diet. Together, dairy foods provide the nutrients Americans do not consume enough of, like calcium, potassium and magnesium. The most practical way to help meet nutrient recommendations may be to add an extra serving of dairy foods to the suggested daily intake.

·         Helps maintain a healthy blood pressure. Low-fat and fat-free dairy foods play a key role in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which has been shown to lower blood pressure and prevent hypertension. Low-fat diets including a combination of fruits, vegetables and dairy products produce the greatest reduction in blood pressure compared to diets high only in fruits and vegetables.

For more information on the health benefits of dairy foods, visit www.NationalDairyCouncil.org.

For more information on the studies or to schedule an interview on the benefits of dairy foods, please locate your St. Louis Dairy Council nutrition educator on the CONTACT US page.