Milking Diet Fads Makes No Bones for Young Girls
By Madeleine Brindley
Extreme diets adopted by teenage girls hypnotised by the lure of a size zero figure could be increasing their risk of serious health problems in the future. New research has found that strict self- imposed dietary restrictions, without proper medical advice, could significantly increase their risk of osteoporosis in later life.
Milk and dairy products are often cut drastically or completely by girls who believe they contain too much fat.
But such practices can deprive an adolescent’s body of essential calcium, potentially harming bone health later in life.
The research, carried out by a team in the United States, studied self-diagnosed intolerance to milk in adolescent girls between the ages of 10 and 13, and its impact on dietary intakes of calcium and bone mineral content.
Of the girls who participated in the study, 20% perceived themselves to be intolerant to milk. However, more than 50% of those who agreed to take diagnostic tests were found to have no problem digesting milk.
Worryingly, girls who believed they could not have milk consumed an average of 212mg of calcium less than girls without perceived milk intolerance, which equates to over a quarter of the recommended daily intake for calcium.
Dr Judith Bryans, director of The Dairy Council, said, “Adolescence is a critical period for laying the foundation for future bone health as at least 90% of peak bone mass is achieved by 18 years of age.
“Milk and dairy foods are one of the best sources of bone building nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous and protein in the diet.
“Therefore, avoiding dairy without adequately replacing the nutrients it provides could have a serious impact on bone health.”
The importance of nutrition in relation to bone health was particularly evident in the results of bone mineral tests taken by participating girls.
These tests revealed that spinal bone mineral content – a measure of bone strength – was significantly lower in those girls with perceived milk intolerance, and lower intakes of calcium, compared with the girls without perceived milk intolerance.
Dr Bryans added, “Food allergies and intolerances have become almost fashionable in recent years due to increasing popularity of fad diets and poor examples set by ill-informed role models in the public eye.
“Unfortunately, teenage girls keen to maintain a slim-line look are often easy targets for such diets that put wheat and milk products high on the ‘to avoid’ list. This study demonstrates the importance of clarifying misconceptions about food and health from an early age and encouraging a healthy and balanced attitude towards food.
“Anyone who thinks they have a food intolerance or allergy should seek a proper medical diagnosis. In reality, studies have suggested that even those who have accurately diagnosed lactose intolerance can eat dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt, which are very low in lactose, without any trouble and can often tolerate small amounts of milk when consumed with a meal.”
But it is not just teenage girls who appear to be ignorant of the need for calcium in their diet – parents are also not aware of the important role the mineral, and vitamin D, plays in bone health.
The study by the website raisingkids.co.uk, in conjunction with Petits Filous, found that less than half of parents were aware that three servings of dairy, or non-dairy alternatives, every day are sufficient to meet their children’s calcium needs.
Penny Hunking, a dietician, said, “Up to 90% of children’s bone strength is established by around the age of 18. It is therefore essential that parents do all they can in the crucial development years, to give their children the best possible chance of developing healthy, strong bones for later life. “While genetics plays a big part, parents can help by ensuring children have a healthy diet and lifestyle, with sufficient calcium and vitamin D, and weight- bearing exercise on a regular basis.”
(c) 2007 Western Mail. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.