Association between noncow milk beverage consumption and childhood height

Abstract

Background: Cow milk consumption in childhood has been associated with increased height, which is an important measure of children's growth and development. Many parents are choosing noncow milk beverages such as soy and almond milk because of perceived health benefits. However, noncow milk contains less protein and fat than cow milk and may not have the same effect on height. Objective: We sought to determine whether there is an association between noncow milk consumption and lower height in childhood and assess whether cow milk consumption mediates the relation between noncow milk consumption and height. Design: This was a cross-sectional study of 5034 healthy Canadian children aged 24-72 mo enrolled in the Applied Research Group for Kids cohort. The primary exposure was the volume of noncow milk consumption (number of 250-mL cups per day). The primary outcome was height, which was measured as height-for-age z score. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the association between noncow milk consumption and height. A mediation analysis was conducted to explore whether cow milk consumption mediated the association between noncow milk consumption and height. Results: There was a dose-dependent association between higher noncow milk consumption and lower height (P , 0.0001). For each daily cup of noncow milk consumed, children were 0.4 cm (95% CI: 0.2, 0.8 cm) shorter. In the mediation analysis, lower cow milk consumption only partially mediated the association between noncow milk consumption and lower height. The height difference for a child aged 3 y consuming 3 cups noncow milk/d relative to 3 cups cow milk/d was 1.5 cm (95% CI: 0.8, 2.0 cm). Conclusions: Noncow milk consumption was associated with lower childhood height. Future research is needed to understand the causal relations between noncow milk consumption and height.Am J Clin Nutr 2017;106:597-602.

Impact of whole dairy matrix on musculoskeletal health and aging–current knowledge and research gaps

“…At 12 weeks postnatal, infants receiving a high sn-2 palmitate formula (i.e., mimicking the sn-2 palmitate content of human milk) since birth had significantly greater absorption of fat and calcium, and higher bone strength compared to infants receiving a regular formula with low sn-2 palmitate [38]. Approximately 40% to 60% of adult bone mass accrues during adolescence and milk intake during childhood and adolescence has been associated with higher BMC, with consumption of more than three servings of milk per day associated with a greater adult height in girls compared to those drinking less than one serving per day [31]. For each cup of plant-based drink relative to milk, children were 0.4 cm (95% CI 0.2-0.8 cm) shorter.…”

“…These are often presented as suitable alternatives to milk, though nutritionally their content may not compare at all, especially for products essentially devoid of protein ( Table 1). The small number of prospective studies and RCTs comparing dairy products with plant-based alternatives indicate that dairy appears more beneficial for bone health [31,32].…”

Respiratory effects of acute milk consumption among asthmatic and non-asthmatic children: a randomized controlled study

“…In most developed countries, over two-thirds of calcium consumption originates from milk products [18] and avoiding milk exposes children to the risk of low calcium levels and restricted growth. A recent study showed that each daily cup of cow's milk was associated with 0.2 centimeters additional height compared to non-cow's milk consumption in 3-year-old children [19]. Another study reported that consuming dairy products during childhood improved bone density in adulthood, and that their avoidance may lead to growth deceleration and osteoporosis [18].…”

Diet, height, and health

“…However, unlike genetically specified traits, environmental factors that begin during gestation also play a significant role in determining adult height. In this issue of the Journal, Morency et al (6) provide an example of an association between diet (environment) and childhood height in the TARGet Kids Collaboration study. With the use of a cross-sectional approach, the authors show a dose-dependent association between higher noncow-milk consumption and lower height in 5034 children.…”

“…Morency et al (6) and Ma et al (8) should be commended for their contributions to this subject. So, should we encourage more noncow-milk consumption in childhood in order to produce relatively shorter individuals and ultimately promote healthy aging in our societies?…”