Milk-and-Dairy-Products-in-Human-Nutrition-FAO

Chapter 4 – Milk and dairy products as part of the diet
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Table 4.8
Health benefits and risks of consuming milk and dairy products
Benefits
Risks
As a source of macro- and micronutrients
Milk and dairy are a source of energy and highquality
protein, and make a significant contribution
to requirements for calcium, magnesium, selenium,
riboflavin, vitamin B 12 and pantothenic acid.
Cow milk does not contain appreciable amounts of iron
and presents a high renal solute load to infants compared
with breast milk, owing to its higher contents of
minerals and protein. According to WHO guidelines,
no undiluted cow milk should be given to infants
younger than 12 months of age unless accompanied by
iron supplements/iron fortified foods, although cheese
and yoghurt may be given after 6 months.
Dietary dairy in growth and development
Cow milk is associated with increased linear growth
and can help prevent stunting, especially during the
first 2 years of life. In children with poor nutritional
status, milk is likely to supply nutrients that are important
for growth and are deficient in the diet, while in
well-nourished children the effect of milk on linear
growth is likely through stimulation of IGF-1.
Dietary fat from milk is important in the diets of
infants and young children and especially in populations
with a very low fat intake. May help in the treatment
of undernutrition (moderate malnutrition).
Greater adult stature is not always associated with
better health. The factors that lead to greater adult
attained height, or its consequences, increase the risk
of cancers of the colorectum and breast (postmenopause),
and probably increase the risk of cancers of the
pancreas, breast (premenopause) and ovary.
Height is also generally accepted to be a risk factor for
osteoporotic fractures.
About 60% of milk fat consists of SFAs, including
lauric acid (C12:0), myristic acid (C14:0) and palmitic
acid (C16:0).
Milk is a major contributor to ruminant trans fatty acid
in the diet.
Dietary dairy and bone health
Milk contains calcium and protein, important for bone
health, and some dairy products also provide other
nutrients that support bone health, such as potassium,
zinc, vitamin A, and, if fortified, vitamin D.
The impact of dietary dairy products on bone health
depends on life stage.
Milk avoidance is possibly associated with increased
risk of fracture in children.
Milk consumption in childhood may protect against
the risk of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal
women.
For older people in countries with high fracture risk,
there is convincing evidence for a reduction in risk of
osteoporotic fracture with sufficient intake of vitamin
D and calcium together (especially in people who have
very low intakes of calcium, vitamin D or both).
Calcium requirements vary depending on dietary factors
such as intake of vitamin D, animal source proteins
and sodium and other factors such as physical activity
and sun exposure. This may explain the “calcium paradox”,
i.e. that hip fracture rates are higher in developed
countries where calcium intake is higher than in
developing countries where calcium intake is lower.
However, milk consumption during adult life does not
appear to be associated with reduced risk of fracture.
Dairy can reduce the risk of calcium-deficiency rickets.
Oral health
Milk may have anticariogenic properties.