Milk intake, height and body mass index in preschool children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Child Growth and Development
• Public Health

Background:

• Milk consumption is a key dietary component for young children.
• Understanding the relationship between milk intake and growth parameters is crucial for child health.
• Previous studies have shown mixed results regarding milk intake and childhood obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between milk consumption volume and weight and height status in 4- and 5-year-old children.
• To determine if higher milk intake correlates with increased Body Mass Index (BMI) z-scores, height z-scores, and weight-for-height z-scores.
• To assess the risk of overweight/obesity in relation to milk consumption levels in preschool-aged children.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 8950 children in the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey, Birth cohort.
• Utilized linear and logistic regression to examine associations between daily milk servings at age 4 and growth metrics at ages 4 and 5.
• Adjusted for covariates including sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and milk type.

Main Results:

• Higher milk consumption at age 4 was linked to increased BMI, height, and weight-for-height z-scores (p<0.05).
• Children drinking ≥4 servings daily were approximately 1 cm taller and 0.15 kg heavier than those drinking <1 serving.
• By age 5, only the association with taller stature remained significant (p<0.001).
• Children consuming ≥3 servings daily at age 4 had higher odds of being overweight/obese (adjusted OR 1.16).

Conclusions:

• Milk consumption volume in 4-year-olds is associated with greater weight and height.
• Continued association with taller stature observed at age 5 with higher milk intake.
• Consumption of 3 or more daily milk servings is linked to increased odds of overweight/obesity, supporting AAP recommendations for 2 daily servings in preschoolers.