Removing flavored milk from schools leads to decreased milk consumption, according to a new study, “Impact on Student Milk Consumption and Nutrient Intakes from Eliminating Flavored Milk in Schools.” The authors concluded that the results of the study, recently presented at the Society for Nutrition Education’s Annual Conference and the School Nutrition Association Annual National Conference, indicate the decline of milk consumption resulting from the elimination of flavors may cause children to miss out on the substantial nutrients milk provides, which are not easily replaced by other foods.
Conducted by Prime Consulting Group and funded by the Milk Processors Education Program (MilkPEP), the study included nearly 700 measurement days over three months at 58 elementary and secondary schools across the country. It found that when low-fat flavored milk was not available in school cafeterias, many children chose not to drink white milk. On days when only white milk was offered, milk consumption dropped an average of 35 percent, with some schools experiencing a decline of more than 50 percent. The study also revealed that milk consumption stayed down in schools that were in their second year of eliminating or restricting flavored milks. Furthermore, waste increased dramatically, with the average school experiencing 36 percent of milk wasted when only white milk was available.
Results indicate that in addition to increased waste, decreased milk intake may lead to a dramatic drop in nutrient intake among the students, as both white and flavored milk provide nine essential nutrients important for optimal health: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents). The study also shows that if flavored milk is eliminated, schools may need to redesign their menus to ensure they deliver the essential nutrients lost through a decline in milk intake, and that replacing milk’s essential nutrients could require three to four different food items to match the nutrient contribution of milk. This substitution may add back more calories and fat to students' diets than when flavored milk was consumed, and could cost an incremental $2,200 to $4,600 more annually per 100 students. For more information, see MilkPEP’s video, “Quantifying Flavored Milk in Schools.”
Flavored milk continues to be a practical choice for kids, teens and adults to enjoy milk and its nine essential nutrients. Incorporating low-fat and fat-free dairy into a healthy diet can help provide three of the five nutrients identified as “nutrients of concern” for children in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans – calcium, magnesium and potassium. For more information on research indicating that children who drink flavored milk get more calcium and other critical nutrients; do not have higher total intakes of added sugars or total fat; and drink fewer soft drinks compared to children who do not drink flavored milk, visit NationalDairyCouncil.org.
Source: National Dairy Council