14°c A few clouds
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Drink your milk, kids -- but not too much: study
TORONTO -- Can there be too much of a good thing when you are talking about little kids and cow's milk? A new study suggests there can.
The study, by scientists in Toronto, says children between the ages of two and five should be drinking half a litre, or approximately two eight-ounce cups of milk a day.
Less than that and kids may not be getting enough vitamin D, the study suggests. But more than that, and the stores of iron in their blood -- which are essential for a developing brain -- may start to slip below acceptable levels.
The study was led by Dr. Jonathon Maguire, a pediatrician and researcher at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. It is published in this week's issue of the journal Pediatrics.
"Cow's milk is a very important staple in our western diet for children. I don't want to underestimate the importance of cow's milk," Maguire said in an interview about the study.
"Our question was really: Well, how much?"
It's a query pediatricians face all the time, Maguire said. They haven't had a good answer to give because expert groups are divided on the issue.
Some organizations have argued young children should consume a litre of milk a day to get the vitamin D they need to build strong bones and avoid rickets, a formerly common bone-softening condition. (Milk is fortified with vitamin D.)
But other groups have warned that children's consumption of cow's milk should be curtailed because some studies have shown kids who drink a lot of milk can have low levels of iron in their blood.
Low iron can lead to anemia, where the body produces too few of the red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body.
"It looks like in children who have iron deficiency severe enough to cause them... to have anemia, those children have difficulties with their cognitive development. Over time, they're not quite as bright as other children," Maguire said.
Iron deficiency in young children isn't uncommon in Canada. While it's just a guesstimate -- Maguire said recent studies haven't been done -- it is believed between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of young children in Canada may have low iron stores.
Given the confusing advice and the fact milk consumption by preschoolers seems to involve a trade-off between vitamin D and iron, Maguire and some colleagues decided to try to find the sweet spot.
They enrolled 1,311 healthy Toronto children aged two to five in a study, evaluating samples of their blood for vitamin D and iron stores and gathering information from parents about the amount of milk the kids drank.
The researchers found about 500 millilitres of milk a day for most children was the right amount to have adequate levels of vitamin D and iron.
There was an exception: During winter, children with dark skin didn't hit the vitamin D target with 500 ml daily. The study suggests in winter, children with dark skin may need a vitamin D supplement as well as milk.
The study was funded by The Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the St. Michael's Hospital Foundation.
-- The Canadian Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 17, 2012 B5
Fact Check
Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.
More Life & Style
- Back to Top
- Return to Life & Style
Poll
Most Popular Life & Style
- Just for kicks: shoe swap hits town
- 'WhatsApp Messenger' top paid iPhone app in Canada
- U.S. court upholds Canadian company's patent for couples vibrator
- B.C. says hikers can depend on mobile maps in woods, but rescue group concerned
- Heat wave hits Alaska, with temps topping 26 degrees in Anchorage
- Bark in the park more than a lark
- The old wooden church
- Pets of the week
- Even elite athletes sometimes feel depressed after completing a marathon
- Airborne laser spots ancient city complex of roads, canals hidden under dense Cambodian forest
- Even elite athletes sometimes feel depressed after completing a marathon
- Apple's big week
- Just for kicks: shoe swap hits town
- Make it look natural; companies work to make packaged foods appear homespun
- Study shows commonly prescribed statin drugs and some antibiotics can interact
- Small-town Ohio police chief gives quick repercussion for criminals through Facebook floggings
- Ontario workers who fear chemical made them sick told to file claim
- Doctors say public purse and public health at risk because of government cuts
- More than 400 people ordered to leave homes in Fort McMurray due to flooding
- The old wooden church
- Deadly liver cancer on the rise, but half of cases preventable: Cancer Society
- Climate change keeping early birds from getting worms: study
- Overabundance of carp threatening ecosystem at Saskatchewan's Wascana Lake
- Doc's memoir portrays ERs as frantic, funny, frightening ... but never dull
- Carb-loading and sports drinks: debunking marathon myths
- Two dead, one injured after helicopter crashes north of Fort McMurray, Alberta
- You can't break bad eating patterns, but you can modify them to your advantage
- Magazine's creator says style has no size
- Dr. Henry Morgentaler, the controversial abortion rights crusader, dead at 90
- Even elite athletes sometimes feel depressed after completing a marathon
- The old wooden church
- 'WhatsApp Messenger' top paid iPhone app in Canada
- Study shows commonly prescribed statin drugs and some antibiotics can interact
- Bark in the park more than a lark
- Heat wave hits Alaska, with temps topping 26 degrees in Anchorage
- Study shows commonly prescribed statin drugs and some antibiotics can interact
- Even elite athletes sometimes feel depressed after completing a marathon
- The old wooden church
- Adrenal fatigue can have significant impact
- Turks and chaos
- Groin soreness sign of testicular cancer
- Website helps Parkinson's patients avoid protein-medication interaction
- Poor preschooler eating habits can raise cholesterol, set stage for heart disease
- Make it look natural; companies work to make packaged foods appear homespun
- Just for kicks: shoe swap hits town
- Doc's memoir portrays ERs as frantic, funny, frightening ... but never dull
- Cramping their style
- Specialist moving to Toronto after 23 years at cutting-edge sleep lab
- Markdown maven tells world of Winnipeg deals
- Carb-loading and sports drinks: debunking marathon myths
- Iron overload often missed diagnosis for heart problems
- You can't break bad eating patterns, but you can modify them to your advantage
- Yaz and Yasmin pills linked to 23 deaths, say Health Canada documents
- His nose knows: City perfume maker can concoct your personal aroma
- Genealogical searches connect present to past
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.