Kids Don't Drink Enough Milk
Moms always say "drink your milk" and now, they have the data that explains why. Few children and teens drink enough low-fat milk, a new study from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention showed. Most kids (73 percent) drink milk, but only about 20 percent drink low-fat or nonfat milk, which is the healthiest option. The benefit of low-fat or nonfat milk is that you avoid unnecessary fat and calories, says Jessica Crandall, RD, CDE, program director of Sodexo Wellness and Nutrition Services in Denver and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Plus, all varieties of milk contain about the same amount of calcium per serving, so you're not giving up any calcium when you skip the fat. According the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines, this is how much milk children should drink daily:
• Children ages 2 to 3 years: 2 cups
• Children ages 4 to 8 years: 2 1/2 cups
• Children age 9 years and older: 3 cups