Dairy and bones

Abstract

The relative contributions of dietary intake and exercise on bone mineralization in children continues to be debated. In the current issue of The Journal, Moore et al from Boston University have analyzed some dietary information from the Framingham Children's Study. They were able to compare dairy intake over a 12 year period with bone mineral content (BMC) and bone area (BA) in mid-teens. Children who consistently consumed two or more dairy servings daily had increased bone mineralization in comparison with those who consumed less. A somewhat surprising finding was the fact that intakes of meats and other proteins of over 4 servings per day were also associated with higher BMC and BA. Some adult studies have suggested an opposite effect of dietary protein. The authors suggest that the combination of dairy and other protein sources may be important in these children. In particular, the whey protein in milk may have a beneficial effect on osteoblast function.