Flavored Milk Consumers Drank More Milk and Had a Higher Prevalence of Meeting Calcium Recommendation Than...

Some schools are removing flavored milk because of the perception that it negatively impacts children's overall diet. This study assessed the contribution of flavored milk to their diets.

Individual usual intakes (IUI) were calculated from 24-hour dietary recalls of children 2-18 years (N = 20,329) participating in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2012. IUI of >0.25 cup equivalent of flavored dairy milk defined consumers (N = 3564; 56% boys). Covariate-adjusted regression analyses using appropriate sample weights were calculated. Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) and Adequate Intakes (AI) determined the relation to dietary recommendations. Consumers were compared to nonconsumers (p ≤ .001).

Flavored milk consumers consumed more milk. Consumers aged 2-3 years had higher mean added sugars intakes. Consumers aged between 2-3 and 9-13 years had a higher saturated fat (SFA) intake. Consumers aged 14-18 years had higher percent energy from SFA. Consumers had a lower mean percentage of children meeting AI for fiber and a higher percentage meeting the EAR for calcium. Consumers aged 4-8 and 9-13 years had a higher mean percentage of children meeting the EAR for magnesium.

Consumption of flavored milk has the potential to increase milk consumption and reduce the percentage of children below the EAR for calcium; the percentage meeting AI for fiber was lower.