Global perspectives on nutritional knowledge of bovine milk as a mineral source

Reducing milk consumption has the potential to negatively affect dietary mineral intake, and it is important to understand people's knowledge of milk's nutritional contributions to help them make informed decisions. This international study assessed consumer knowledge of milk as a dietary source of energy, nutrients, and minerals (i.e., Ca, P, K, Mg, Fe, and I), and how that knowledge differed based on whether the survey respondents were milk consumers. A questionnaire was developed using a 7-point Likert scale, with questions assessing the respondents' perception of milk as a source of energy, nutrients, and minerals, as well as ancillary information on their sociodemographic data and milk consumption habits. Answers to the questionnaire were analyzed using a multiple regression fixed effects model, which included consumer class (i.e., consumers of milk versus nonconsumers of milk), geographical area, educational status, gender, and age, as well as a series of 2-way interactions of these effects with milk consumption class. The sample, comprising both consumers (84.6%) and nonconsumers of milk (15.4%), consisted of 4,700 respondents from 16 countries recruited through convenience sampling. Sociodemographic characteristics were similar between milk consumers and nonconsumers; the sample was predominantly young (consumers, 55%; nonconsumers, 54%), female (consumers, 63%; nonconsumers, 70%), and university-educated (consumers, 61%; nonconsumers, 65%). Results revealed that milk consumers demonstrated slightly greater awareness of milk as an energy source compared with nonconsumers, though differences were modest. Respondents' knowledge of milk as a source of energy, nutrients, and minerals also differed by geographical region and educational status. Overall, respondents believed there was a strong association between calcium and milk, but awareness of the other minerals questioned (i.e., magnesium, potassium, phosphorus) was close to zero, indicating neutrality or possible uncertainty. In conclusion, this survey demonstrates that consumers of milk are more informed about milk as a source of energy; however, respondents' awareness of milk as a source of important minerals, other than calcium, is lacking. These results highlight a general gap in knowledge about critical health-related components in milk and underscore the need for targeted educational campaigns to promote milk as a mineral-rich dietary source that supports informed nutritional choices.