A study published in the latest issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examines the New York City Department of Education’s 2004 decision to eliminate whole and flavored milk from its schools. The study states the substitution of low-fat and fat-free milk for whole milk in schools can greatly reduce students’ consumption of calories and fat and help combat the childhood obesity epidemic (40% of New York City children are obese by the age of 11). This simple change means that a milk-drinking student was exposed to 33 fewer calories and 3.4 fewer grams of fat per school day, which is equivalent to 5,960 fewer calories and 619 fewer grams of fat per year. Initially, the consumption of milk by students declined, but by 2009 had increased to 1.3% above the rate at the start of the initiative. But will decreasing caloric intake from milk reduce overall caloric intake and make a dent in the childhood obesity epidemic? It’s a great idea, but there are many more high-calorie foods out there beyond milk to contend with. [via HealthDay]
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Tags: BMI, calorie, calories, children, fat, milk, New York City, NYC, obesity, students, weight


Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
February 2nd, 2010 at 8:17 am
Pasturized and homogenized milk contains approimately 21grams of sugar per serving in order to make it palable to younger consumers. The pasturization of milk leaves the milk void of anything of nutritional value, requiring the processor to add sugar and synthetic vitamin “D” in order to obtain any nutritional value at all. As a much more healthy source, raw milk from grass fed cattle is a much better alternative and provides more of the nutients required for a healthy immune system, i.e., such as chlostrom and natural vitamin “D”. It has been shown that raw milk dairy products, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc., helps to prevent obesity and diabetes and strengthens the immune system. It’s only second to mothers milk for the developing child.
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:47 pm
How can one possibly know what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad!
I have been taking courses, studying foods and looking up information for decades but still do not know the answers.
For one thing I keep reading that only humans drink milk after weaning and that cow’s milk is devoid of vit.K. I don’t like milk anyway but the experts contradict calcium suppliments. What a mess! Someday in the far future things will be figured out, maybe a thousand years from now! Natalie.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:23 am
Natalie, for Vitamin K and K2, may I suggest sauerkraut. It’s a great source because it’s made from cabbage.
February 9th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
!!!!!!!!!!!!!for me this kind of information, that milk had a big calories compound and fat is helping me a lot cauze i love milk so now i know why i never become slim, but now i reduced myself in drinking milk,,,,,,,,,,thank s lot, but i want somethng that helps me to slim or some tips cauze a gain to much fat i exercise every day it never lose in the different weight. thanks if this dailydose will help me…………………..bye i now go to my class. praise God for all of you and God bless to this website!!!!!!!!!bye,bye hope you givesa me tips.
February 9th, 2010 at 8:31 pm
!!!!!!!!!!!!!for me this kind of information, that milk had a big calories compound and fat is helping me a lot cauze i love milk so now i know why i never become slim, but now i reduced myself in drinking milk,,,,,,,,,,thank s lot, but i want somethng that helps me to slim or some tips cauze i gain to much fat i exercise every day it never lose in the different weight. thanks if this dailydose will help me…………………..bye i now go to my class. praise God for all of you and God bless to this website!!!!!!!!!bye,bye hope you givesa me tips.
February 9th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
!!!!!!!!!!!!!for me this kind of information, that milk had a big calories compound and fat is helping me a lot cauze i love milk so now i know why i never become slim, but now i reduced myself in drinking milk,,,,,,,,,,thank s lot, but i want somethng that helps me to slim or some tips cauze i gain to much fat i exercise every day it never lose in the different weight. thanks if this dailydose will help me…………………..bye i now go to my class. praise God for all of you and God bless to this website!!!!!!!!!bye,bye hope you gives me tips.