Science and Health

Is It True Milk Doesn't Make Bones Stronger?

If researchers are right, it might be time to relearn what you know about milk doing a body good.

Is It True Milk Doesn't Make Bones Stronger?
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Parents everywhere — stop what you're doing and relearn everything you thought you knew. Turns out, milk might not be as good for your kids as you first thought.


A new study suggests milk could actually have negative effects on teenage boys' bone growth, increasing hip fractures.  (Via HealthDay

 

The study observed nearly 100,000 people over the span of more than 20 years. Researchers found for women, no positive, definitive link to milk and bones could be established. But, for men, it concluded, "each additional glass of milk per day during teenage years was associated with a 9% increased risk of hip fractures." Wow. (Via io9

Now, researchers say that's in part because men tend to be taller than women, putting them at a naturally higher risk for fractures. 

Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture recommends nearly everyone consume about three cups of milk or dairy products per day. (Via USDA

But, one pediatrician, not associated with the study, says maybe we should rethink the whole "milk does a body good" thing. 

"Probably, in the old days, we overestimated the impact and the benefits of milk. I'm not here to give milk a thumbs down. It's just let's not overestimate what milk does." (Via CBC)

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.