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free tools for patients, expert nutrition advice and information on updated
dairy nutrition resources.
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Educate your patients on the importance of 3-A-Day of Dairy: Here's
a great
tool (PDF: 618k) to show families how to get their 3-A-Day of Dairy
every day for stronger bones.
Developed in conjunction with The American Academy of Family
Physicians, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Dietetic
Association, and The National Medical Association.
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Dairy Council Digest Archives
3-A-Day of Dairy Campaign
3-A-Day of Milk, Cheese, and Yogurt for Stronger Bones
One of the most important reasons to consume three servings of dairy – milk, cheese, and yogurt – each day is to help develop and maintain strong bones.
Although calcium is identified a key nutrient for attaining peak bone mass and for preventing and treating osteoporosis (i.e., weak porous bones leading to bone fractures) (1,11,25), other nutrients found in dairy products such as protein, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D (if fortified) also support bone health (30-32).
A large body of scientific evidence shows that consuming adequate calcium or calcium-rich foods such as dairy products throughout life reduces the risk for osteoporosis by increasing genetically determined peak bone mass (which is reached by about age 30 or as early as late adolescence for certain bones) and delaying or minimizing age-related bone loss (1-9,11,25).
An analysis of139 research papers relating to calcium intake and bone health found that all but two of 52 randomized, controlled intervention studies demonstrated that calcium intake increases bone gain during growth and reduces bone loss and/or fractures in later adult years (9). Also, three-quarters of 86 observational studies supported calcium's beneficial role in bone health. Denser bones were found in all six trials that used dairy as a source of calcium (9).
Studies in children, adolescents, young adults, postmenopausal women, and older adults reveal that consumption of dairy products supports strong bones (9,27,33-41). An investigation of children ages 3 to 10 in New Zealand found that those with a history of avoiding milk had significantly lower average dietary calcium intakes, were shorter, and had lower bone mineral density at several sites than children who regularly consumed milk (27). When milk consumption and bone mineral density were examined in 649 Chinese girls aged 12 to 14 years, the milk group was the only food group that positively affected bone mineral density (33). Further, milk drinking was a better determinant of bone mineral content than any single nutrient alone (33). These findings led the authors to suggest that milk's positive effect on bone may be related to its balance of nutrients, particularly vitamin D, calcium, and protein (33).
Research studies support a beneficial role for calcium, particularly from foods naturally rich in calcium such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, in achieving and maintaining strong bones.
A recent study of adolescents found that total body bone mineral content was reduced in those who replaced milk with low nutrient dense beverages (e.g., soft drinks, juice drinks, iced teas) (34). As consumption of low nutrient beverages increased, milk consumption dropped. Earlier epidemiological studies link milk intake with increases in bone mineral density in adolescents (35,36).
In a recent cross-sectional study of healthy Norwegian women aged 19 to 35 years, lack of milk intake was associated with low forearm bone mineral density, whereas milk consumption was a significant source of calcium, which was associated with higher bone mineral density of the wrist and forearm (37). Researchers suggest that developing a habit of milk consumption early in life may lead to increased calcium intake and stronger bones in later years (37,38). In both postmenopausal and older women, milk intake helps to reduce bone loss (39,40). In a multi-center, randomized controlled trial of older adults aged 55 to 85 years, bone resorption was reduced in those who increased their calcium intake by 750mg/day by drinking more milk (40). In a similar study of 29 postmenopausal women with low calcium intakes (average 466mg/day), adding three servings of yogurt to their daily diet decreased the rate of bone resorption (41). There is growing evidence that food intake patterns (e.g., diets including three servings of dairy/day) are more important for bone health than are single nutrients (e.g., calcium) (42).
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