Calcium intake in children may be insufficient for their needs as their bones are growing, and a study by Goulding et al (250-253) showed that children who avoided drinking cow's milk for prolonged periods and did not consume calcium-rich food substitutes had low bone mineral densities. Low bone density combined with a high body weight increases the risk of bone fractures during growth, when children are more prone to such fractures. Optimal bone growth cannot take place without sufficient calcium intake, and in the Western countries dairy products are the major dietary source of calcium (250). If children avoid drinking milk for long periods during their growth and do not have a diet rich in other sources of calcium, or take calcium-rich supplements, they may jeopardize their bone health. Low milk consumption during childhood has also recently been linked to adult osteoporosis.
Consumption of dairy foods also affects body weight, and the substitution of milk with high energy, but low nutritional value drinks will promote weight gain, which is augmented by the low calcium intake, promoting adipogenesis. Goulding et al observed a group of 50 white children with a history of low cow's milk intake and a low dietary calcium intake, who had short stature, poor skeletons, and a high prevalence of adiposity (251). Many of these children had already suffered bone fractures and so the researchers decided to compare the fracture rates of these children with a group of the same age and sex who had normal milk consumption.
Thirty girls and 20 boys, aged between 3 and 10 years, with a history of cow's milk avoidance were recruited for the study (Goulding et al 251). Their height, body weight, and body mass index were measured, Dual energy x-ray scans of the non-dominant forearm, lumbar spine, and total body were taken, and volumetric bone mineral density calculated. Dietary calcium intake was estimated, and the reasons for milk a...