Adults Missing out on Dairy

Nearly one third of Irish adults (29%) do not consume the basic “three servings of dairy a day” recommended by the Irish Department of Health & Children, the latest TNS mrbi research shows.

As dairy products provide a high proportion of calcium and essential nutrients, these findings suggest a large number of Irish adults may be at risk of reducing their general wellbeing and exposing themselves to serious long term health risks, warn the National Dairy Council.

To combat this gap in dairy consumption, the National Dairy Council is investing in a 15-week national advertising campaign from early July to raise awareness about the importance of milk and dairy products as a natural source of calcium and essential nutrients.

Calcium is vital for healthy bones and teeth. Higher levels are needed during pregnancy, while breastfeeding and during the teenage years when 90% of adult bone mass is laid down. However, because bone is living tissue, a good supply of calcium is needed at every age to keep our bones healthy.

Dietary calcium also helps to prevent dissolution of tooth enamel.

In addition to calcium, dairy foods are also important sources of other important nutrients including protein, B vitamins (riboflavin, vitamin B12 and folate) and phosphorous.

The Department of Health & Children recommends that adults eat 3 portions of dairy a day. As a guide one serving is:

• 1oz or 28 g of hard cheese (about the size of a matchbox)
• 1/3 pint of milk
• 1 carton of yoghurt.

Calcium is available in other non-dairy food sources, explained Helen Brophy, Chief Executive of the National Dairy Council, but some plant sources also contain other ingredients that inhibit the absorption of calcium and this makes it difficult to get all our calcium needs from non-dairy products.

For example, an American study showed that about 16 portions of spinach would be required to achieve the same amount of absorbable calcium as a 240g serving of milk.

Posted Thursday 10th July 2008