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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
Building Better Bones with Dairy Foods Throughout the Lifecycle
Summary
Building and maintaining a healthy skeleton throughout life helps to reduce the risk of osteoporosis (i.e., weak, porous bones leading to bone fractures). This debilitating disease affects an estimated 44 million U.S. adults over the age of 50 and is responsible for 1.5 million fractures a year. According to the newly released Surgeon General's Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis, prevention is key.
Multiple factors, genetic and environmental (e.g., nutrition, physical activity), influence bone health and risk of osteoporosis. Among nutritional factors, consuming an adequate intake of calcium is important at all stages of life – in the early years to maximize genetically programmed peak bone mass and in later adulthood to maintain skeletal mass and minimize age-related bone loss. In addition to calcium, other nutrients such as protein, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, D, and K support bone health. Although most research has focused on single nutrients, evidence indicates that consuming naturally nutrient rich foods such as milk and other dairy products improves bone mineral status and helps to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Prevention of osteoporosis begins in childhood and adolescence because much of genetically determined peak bone mass is accrued during the first two decades of life. Studies in children and adolescents demonstrate that increasing consumption of dairy foods benefits bone health – or that low intake of dairy foods compromises bone health and may increase the risk of bone fractures during growth. Moreover, consuming an adequate intake of milk and other dairy foods during childhood and adolescence may protect against fractures in later years. Establishing dietary habits that include milk early in life usually leads to lifetime milk consumption.
Investigations in adults demonstrate that consuming calcium-rich dairy foods such as milk, cheese, or yogurt reduces agerelated bone loss and risk of osteoporotic fractures. These findings are not surprising given the high calcium content of dairy products, along with the presence of other nutrients needed for bone health in these foods. Recently, researchers conservatively estimated that consuming 3 to 4 servings of dairy foods/day could reduce osteoporosis-related fractures by at least 20%, resulting in healthcare cost savings of more than $3.5 billion/year or $14 billion over five years.
Milk and other dairy foods are the preferred source of calcium because of their high calcium content and the presence of other nutrients important for bone and overall health. Unfortunately, many Americans fail to consume the currently recommended 3 daily servings of milk, cheese, or yogurt.
In an effort to improve calcium intake and reduce the large toll that osteoporosis is inflicting on the nation, the dairy industry, with support from leading health professional organizations, has introduced a multi-year nutrition-based marketing and education campaign called "3-A-DayTM of Dairy for Stronger Bones" ( www.3aday.org ). The campaign’s key message is to consume at least 3 servings a day of milk, cheese, or yogurt to build and maintain strong bones. The U.S. Surgeon General has launched a major campaign to increase Americans’ awareness of osteoporosis and provide lifestyle strategies to promote bone health throughout life.
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