Description
Children's replacement of milk with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) is associated with lower intake of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, folate, vitamin B-12, and magnesium. Research indicates a relationship between this consumption pattern and obesity, osteoporosis, nutrient deficiency and dental caries. This study is a secondary analysis of the cross-sectional dietary data from the Healthy Youth and Parent Program (HYPP). HYPP, a family behavioral intervention produced significant increases in calcium intake among the experimental group as compared to controls (N = 124). This secondary analysis analyzed beverage consumption, calcium-rich beverages and sugar sweet beverages, to test if the experimental intervention resulted in differential change from baseline to 3-months. Beverages included milk (whole, reduced and fat free), 100% juices, SSB (juice and soda) and calcium-fortified juices (calcium-100% juices and calcium-not 100% juices). This study evaluated if the increase in calcium intake in HYPP participants was due to an increase intake of milk and explored the type of milk that caused significant differences. Results indicate that total milk consumption increased in the experimental group relative to controls (p = .004). Consumption of whole milk decreased (p = .019) with a corresponding increase in reduced (p = .002) and fat-free milk (p = .036). No effect was observed for juices or SSB. This analysis supports parent-child interventions as a means of increasing the consumption of calcium rich beverages including reduced and fat-free milk in children. Dietary modification through such interventions should be considered as a means to successfully decrease the childhood obesity epidemic and potential osteoporosis rise among children in the United States.
