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New research shows that drinking a cup of cow’s milk every day helps children grow taller. According to the study, for each daily cup of cow’s milk they drank, children were 0.2 centimetres taller than average for their age. Conversely, for every cup of non-cow’s milk, kids were 0.4 centimetres shorter than average. The study also showed that even combining different types of milk led to shorter-than-average height in children. Study authors didn’t examine why drinking non-cow’s milk led to shorter statures, but hypothesize that the reason lies in consumption of less dietary protein and healthy fats. In US and Canada, the nutritional value of cow’s milk is regulated while non-cow’s milk is not. According to study authors, the number of children substituting cow’s milk for other types of milk has increased recently, due to perceived health benefits of such substitution.
Authors:
Marie-Elssa Morency, Catherine S Birken, Gerald Lebovic, Yang Chen4, Mary L’Abbé, Grace J Lee, Jonathon L Maguire
Lead author:
Jonathon Maguire, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto & Scientists, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Email: jonathon.maguire@utoronto.ca
Original paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on June 7, 2017.
