Frequent consumption of dairy products in early childhood may improve adolescent bone health

Dairy is recognized as a key component of a healthy, balanced diet. However, until recently, it was unclear how long-term dairy intake contributes to the many aspects of bone health in children, including bone density, bone mineral content and bone area.

A new study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics investigates the effect of childhood dairy intake on adolescent bone health.

Lynn Moore, MD, and colleagues from Boston University School of Medicine analyzed data from the Framingham Children's Study in an effort to understand the relationship between childhood dairy intake and adolescent bone health, according to a press release.

The researchers gathered information from 106 children, 3 to 5 years of age at the beginning of the study, over a 12-year period. The families enrolled in the study were given food diaries to complete for their child and were asked to record everything the child ate and drank for several days each year. The researchers used these diaries, along with information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to calculate the children's average daily intake of dairy and other foods. At the end of the 12-year period, the authors assessed the bone health of the now-adolescent study participants.

They found that the adolescents who had consumed two or more servings of dairy per day as young children had higher levels of bone mineral content and bone density. Even after adjusting for factors that affect normal bone development, including the child's growth, body size and activity level, the authors found that these adolescents' average bone mineral content was 175 g higher than the adolescents who had consumed fewer than two servings of dairy per day.

The researchers also evaluated the combined effects of dairy and other foods consumed by the study participants.

"Children who consumed two or more servings of dairy and four ounces of meat or other nondairy protein had bone mineral contents over 300 grams higher than those children with lower intakes of both dairy and other proteins," Moore said in the press release.

Ultimately, the study highlights the importance of dairy intake throughout childhood, Moore said.

"Dairy is a key source of proteins, calcium and other micronutrients, including phosphorus and vitamin D," she said in the press release.

Furthermore, parents can promote healthy bone development during adolescence by making dairy a regular part of their child's diet, Moore added.