Abstract
Most Americans do not meet dairy food recommendations from the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). This study assesses differences in nutrient intake between Americans who meet recommendations for dairy intake and those who do not, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013–2014 and 2015–2016 (n = 5670 children ages 2–18 years and n = 10,112 adults ages 19+). Among children and adults, those meeting dairy food recommendations were significantly more likely to have adequate intake (% above Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)) of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and zinc and consume above the Adequate Intake (AI) for potassium and choline than Americans not meeting dairy recommendations, regardless of age, sex, or race/ethnicity. Americans meeting dairy recommendations were also more likely to exceed recommendations for sodium and saturated fat but consume less added sugars. Nearly 60% of Americans 2 years and older not meeting dairy recommendations consumed calcium and magnesium below the EAR. Only about 20% of Americans who did not meet dairy recommendations consumed above the AI for potassium. Dairy foods make important and unique contributions to dietary patterns, and it can be difficult to meet nutrient needs without consuming recommended amounts of dairy foods.
Highlights
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends that American children and adults consume dairy foods daily: 2 cup-equivalent servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, yogurt, or fortified soy beverage for children 2–3 years, 2.5 servings for children 4–8 years, and 3 servings for adolescents 9 to 18 years and all adults as part of the Healthy U.S.—Style and Healthy VegetarianEating Patterns [1]
According to food pattern modeling studies, the amounts of certain nutrients—calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, riboflavin, potassium, vitamin D, and choline—in healthy eating patterns drop when dairy foods are removed from the diet
Children 2–18 years who met dairy food recommendations tended to be younger, male, and non-Hispanic White with ”vigorous” activity levels and were less likely to be below a poverty-income ratio (PIR) of 1.35, have ”moderate” activity level, be non-Hispanic black, or overweight or obese (Table 2)
Summary
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends that American children and adults consume dairy foods daily: 2 cup-equivalent servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, yogurt, or fortified soy beverage for children 2–3 years, 2.5 servings for children 4–8 years, and 3 servings for adolescents 9 to 18 years and all adults as part of the Healthy U.S.—Style and Healthy VegetarianEating Patterns [1]. The DGA bases these recommendations on the nutrient density of foods in the dairy group and their contributions to healthy eating patterns that remain within calorie, saturated fat, and sodium limits. The 2015 DGA identified the dairy group for its key contributions of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B12, protein, potassium, zinc, choline, magnesium, and selenium in the diet [1]. According to food pattern modeling studies, the amounts of certain nutrients—calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, riboflavin, potassium, vitamin D, and choline—in healthy eating patterns drop when dairy foods are removed from the diet. Calcium intake decreases by 68 to 88 percent, and vitamin D intake decreases by 20 to 30 percent across all age and sex groups without dairy in the diet [2].
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