| FEATURES |
  NDC to Launch New Youth-Led Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Initiative
On October 15, Dairy Download subscribers will be among the first to hear National Dairy Council's (NDC) exciting news! NDC is collaborating with two partners to launch a new youth-led program in 60,000 schools nationwide that aims to inspire youth to adopt lifelong healthy behaviors by eating more nutrient-rich foods and getting 60 minutes of physical activity each day. NDC is excited to build on decades of leadership in child nutrition research and make a lasting, positive impact across the country.
Stay tuned for the October announcement, and in the meantime, check out the latest child nutrition research, tools and trends in this issue. |
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| BREAKING NEWS & RESEARCH |
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).
New Nutrient Density Index Makes the Grade for Nutrition Education
In much of today's nutrition education, the focus is on avoiding specific nutrients, such as sugar or fat, which appears to have failed to provide Americans with the means to build a healthy, complete diet. A study published in the August issue of the Journal of Nutrition outlined the scientific approach taken to develop the Nutrient Rich Foods (NRF) Index, a new science-based measurement of nutrient density that was validated against the USDA?s 2005 Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Nutrient density is the amount of nutrients a food or beverage provides per calorie. While the HEI mainly measures the recommended eating pattern from the five food groups, the NRF Index goes a step further by focusing on the nutrient density of individual foods and beverages.
The NRF Index was created to provide a positive, science-based approach to inform people about what to eat rather than what not to eat, and how to choose more nutrient-rich foods. A formula based on 100 calories and taking the sum of the percent daily values of nine nutrients to encourage (protein, calcium, magnesium, iron, fiber, potassium and vitamins A, C and E) minus the sum of percent daily values of three nutrients to limit (saturated fats, sodium and added sugars) resulted in the greatest correlation with the HEI, and was established as the NRF Index. Consumer research is currently underway to create tools that will help people of all ages use the NRF Index to make better food choices.
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. |
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| NDC BLOG HIGHLIGHTS |
National Dairy Council Launches New Blog
 NDC is excited to announce the launch of its new blog, "The Dairy Report: News, analysis and opinion on nutrition and health research," which readers can visit at http://www.thedairyreport.com/. This new blog offers expertise, opinions and dialogue related to current trends and events in dairy foods, nutrition and science.
A new post on The Dairy Report highlights a study that provides further evidence that milk consumption, including flavored milk, is not associated with body fatness in children and adolescents. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that only sweetened beverage intake (such as sweetened fruit flavored drinks or sodas) at five years of age, but not milk, flavored milk or 100 percent fruit juice, was a significant predictor of girls' body fatness from 5 years to 15 years.
Readers are encouraged to add The Dairy Report to their RSS feeds, join the e-mail distribution list, share feedback, express opinions regarding posts, and call attention to upcoming research or topics of interest. |
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| DAY-TO-DAY DAIRY |
First Aid Kit for Child Nutrition
 A new Child Nutrition Dairy Education Kit providing the latest science-based information on the important role nutrient-rich dairy foods play in children's health is now available at NationalDairyCouncil.org. The kit includes a new presentation that gives a brief overview of the obesity epidemic and highlights the latest research on dairy consumption, healthy body weight and BMI measures. A new white paper and fact sheets are also included within the kit, which provide insights on the current child nutrition environment and a summary of the science on the nutritional significance of dairy for children. Access this new resource to find out how small changes, such as consuming low-fat or fat-free flavored milk, yogurt or reduced-fat cheeses, can make a big difference in a child's health.
Do You Know the "Whey?"
Not all protein is created the same; whey protein is a high-quality protein found naturally in dairy foods and it offers unique health benefits. It is a nutritionally complete protein that is rapidly digested and absorbed, and compared to many other proteins, on a gram-to-gram basis, whey delivers more branched-chain amino acids, including leucine, which is important for muscular health.
A new resource, "The 'Whey' to a Higher Protein Diet," can help health professionals guide individuals on how whey protein can help fuel their active lifestyles. The booklet explains what protein is and how proteins differ; outlines how to determine the amount of protein one needs; defines whey protein and its unique health benefits; and includes recipes and menu plans to help people incorporate it into their diet. In addition, the booklet offers Q&As with protein researchers and sports nutrition experts.
Where to find whey? This product list highlights some of the growing number of available products.
Dip into Nutritious Snacks
Preparing nutrient-rich meals that appeal to kids may seem like a challenge, but jazzing up their lunch or after-school snack can be easy. Cucumber-Yogurt Dip is a delicious, nutritious way for kids to enjoy the vegetables they need, such as carrots, celery sticks or bell pepper slices. You also can use it in place of mayonnaise as a sandwich spread. Check out the recipe and get ideas for other tasty dishes that pack a nutritional punch! |
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| MORE FROM NDC |
Nutrient-Rich Approach Gets an A+ from Seven Leading National Health Partners
 Adults continue to play a key role in developing the kind of environments that make it easy for children to make healthy choices. Recommending nutrient-rich foods, such as low-fat and fat-free dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, in school and at home, can help children meet their daily nutrient requirements. Seven of the leading national health and nutrition organizations - American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, Action for Healthy Kids, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association - lend support to this nutrient-rich foods approach, which considers the total nutrient package of a food or beverage, as a way for Americans to build and enjoy a healthier diet by getting the most nutrition from their calories. To learn how you can help fight childhood obesity, look for the new advertorial, "Nutrient-Rich Foods + Physical Activity = Healthy Lifestyle," in the September issues of Journal of the American Dietetic Association, journal Pediatrics, Journal of the National Medical Association, Journal of Family Practice and the October issue of Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
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 childrens' 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 http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/.
Stay Satisfied with Protein
This month's issue of the Dairy Council Digest, NDC's topical research newsletter, "The Role of Protein in Satiety and Weight Management" highlights recent research that found higher daily intakes of total dietary protein, individual dairy proteins (e.g., casein and whey) and dairy foods may promote satiety, and potentially aid weight management efforts. Several mechanisms are proposed to explain protein-induced satiety.
Visit past issues of the Dairy Council Digest. |
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