The purpose of the National School Lunch and Breakfast program is to safeguard the health and well being of the nation’s children. Many of our nation’s children are overweight but undernourished. Most children do not consume recommended servings of dairy foods, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains which have resulted in many children having low intakes of calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and Vitamin E. These nutrients are critical to a child’s growth and development.
Low fat milk, both flavored and unflavored, provide nine essential nutrients: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamin A, D, B12, riboflavin, and niacin. More importantly, milk provides calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which are three of the five nutrients that fall short in children’s diets. Studies have shown that children are in a calcium crisis, with more than half of children ages 2-8 and three-quarters of children ages 9-19 not getting the recommended daily servings of low fat or fat-free milk or milk products. Milk has a lot of nutritional benefits but for children to get the nutritional benefits of milk, they must first drink it. For those children who will not consume white milk, flavored milk can close in the gap as more children prefer milk when it is flavored.
A common misconception is that low-fat or fat-free flavored milk, because of its sugar content, is an unhealthy beverage choice for children. While there are some added sugars, flavored milk drinkers do not have higher intakes of added sugars or total fats than children who do not consume flavored milk. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), people can safely enjoy sugars “when consumed in a diet that is guided by current federal regulations, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Dietary Reference intakes, as well as individual health goals. ADA adds that “by increasing the palatability of nutrient-dense foods/beverages, sweeteners can promote diet healthfulness. “ Likewise, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that “in some cases, small amounts of sugars added to the nutrient-dense foods such as breakfast cereals and reduced-fat milk products, may increase a person’s intake of such foods by enhancing the palatability of these products, thus improving nutrient intake without contributing excessive calories.” Studies show that intake of flavored milk improves children’s nutrient intake without contributing to weight gain.
A study was conducted in a suburban Connecticut town to see the effects of removing flavored milk from the schools and a la carte offerings. The study measured total milk consumption in the school district for a three month period before and after the elimination of flavored milk. Results showed a decline in total milk consumption in all grades ranging from 20% at the high school level to 67% in grades 3 to 8. After reviewing the consumption patterns documented in this study, the school district once again allowed flavored milk in all grades. The districts ruled that it was not worth the nutritional trade off for the elimination of a few calories of high fructose corn syrup which led to the decline of consumption of a low fat dairy product that delivers important nutrients for the children and adolescents.
Research indicates that children and adolescents who drink flavored milk have higher calcium intakes and lower consumption of soft drinks. Misconceptions about dairy foods can result in the unnecessary elimination of flavored milk in schools, which in turn can lead to nutritional shortcomings and increased risk of some chronic diseases. Offering a variety of unflavored and flavored milk helps ensure children have access to nutritious beverages.