Elementary-school students are not drinking enough milk, with fewer than 20 percent drinking the recommended daily amount and more than 30 percent holding the misconception that milk tea sold in breakfast stores is a source of fresh milk, a survey by a health foundation showed.
The survey, published by the John Tung Foundation last week, was conducted among 415 fifth-grade students and their parents in November and December last year and showed that about 60 percent of the children do not drink milk every day.
The Health Promotion Administration recommends a daily intake of one-and-a-half cups, or 360ml, of milk every day.
However, the survey showed that more than 80 percent of the children do not drink enough milk and that on average they drink about seven-tenths of a cup per day.
Citing administration statistics between 2005 and 2012, the foundation said inadequate calcium intake can be found in all Taiwanese children and adolescents, and that a low intake of calcium could limit their statural growth.
Foundation nutritionist Yu Hsuan-wen (尤宣文) said 29.2 percent of the students thought milk tea sold in breakfast stores contains real milk, while 9.9 percent of parents held the same misconception.
“Most of the milk teas sold in breakfast stores are made with creamers, which are full of saturated fat without the nutrients of milk, while most milk teas contain sugar and caffeine, which also negatively affect calcium absorption in children,” she said, adding that even so-called “fresh milk teas” often contain only small portions of fresh milk, far less than the recommended daily intake.
Yu said 18.7 percent of parents said they have no time to prepare milk for their child, while 21.8 percent said the nutrients contained in milk could be consumed from other types of food, but studies have shown that the absorption rate of calcium from drinking milk is relatively high.
Milk contains multiple nutrients that can increase the calcium absorption rate, she said, adding that it is also a source of good quality protein, vitamin B, minerals and other essential nutrients.
National Cheng Kung University Hospital Department of Family Medicine attending physician Wu Chih-hsing (吳至行) said milk products are important sources of calcium and that inadequate calcium intake in childhood can affect bone growth and lead to poor linear growth.
If parents are concerned about the physical growth of their children, they should must ensure they get sufficient calcium, good quality sleep, regular exercise and more exposure to the sun for better calcium absorption, Yu said.
If children suffer adverse reactions to milk, they should consume black sesame, dried fish, dark green leafy vegetables or hard bean curds, which are also rich in calcium, Yu said.
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