Abstract

1. Milk: Healthy or HazardousBeloit CollegeMarch 10, 2007Samuel Breslin, Johanna Brown & Mariana Lindsay Abstract In the United States of America a conflict is beginning between the nationally subsidized dairy industry and those that question the nutritional value of dairy products. The importance of this issue has been rising steadily for many years, but has recently reached a peak with an ongoing debate regarding the nutritional value of milk. Two contrasting authorities on this issue are the National Dairy Council and The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. In a country with such high levels of dairy consumption and where people are developing an increased awareness of their eating behaviors it is crucial that the American public be provided with legitimate nutritional information. During the negotiation process it is imperative that factual information regarding diseases related to, but not necessarily caused by dairy consumption be taken into consideration. What is currently considered a debate must through constructive discussion take the form of an effective negotiation. • Negotiators: • Physicians Committee for responsible Medicane • The National Dairy Council • Mediator: • United States Department of Agriculture • Objective Criteria • An estimated ten million Americans have Osteoperosis which many argue is due to calcium deficiency. • An estimated thirty four million Americans have a low bone mass which puts them at a high risk for Osteoporosis.[8] • The average American consumes 67.8 liters of milk and 5.5 g of cheese per a year. • In the United States 77,470,000 tons of cows milk are produced each year. • The U.S. recommendation for daily calcium intake is 800 to 1,300 mg. • Milk’s exact composition cannot be determined because milk composition varies from herd to herd. However the University of Guelph that milk is ”87.3% water (range of 85.5% - 88.7%)･3.9 % milkfat (range of 2.4% - 5.5%)･8.8% solids-not-fat (range of 7.9 - 10.0%):･protein 3.25% (3/4 casein)･lactose 4.6%･minerals 0.65% - Ca, P, citrate, Mg, K, Na, Zn, Cl, Fe, Cu, sulfate, bicarbonate, many others･acids 0.18% - citrate, formate, acetate, lactate, oxalate･enzymes - peroxidase, catalase, phosphatase, lipase･gases oxygen, nitrogen･vitamins - A, C, D, thiamine, riboflavin, others.” [9] • It is estimated that there will be 22,430 new cases of ovarian cancer in the United States in 2007. • It is estimated that there will be 218,890 new case of prostate cancer in the United States in 2007.[4] • There are over 127 million adults suffering from obesity in the United States.[10] • Interests • Both groups wish to provide the public with accurate information about the nutrition of dairy. • Both groups want larger publicity of their ideas. • Both groups want governmental support and funding of their ideas. • The Dairy Council wants to educate school children on how to lead a healthy lifestyle. • The Physicians committee wants to establish higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research in the US.The Physicians Committee wishes to reform our country's federal nutrition policies. • Options • -The National Dairy Council could contribute some of their funds to the Physicians for Responsible Medicine Committee so that they could develop more comprehensive studies. • -The government could subsidize companies that are producing dairy alternatives so that there could be a more equal playing field and companies could have more ability to produce effective dairy alternatives. • -The U.S. government could run their own studies to determine milk’s effects. • -Each group could contribute five scientists to a USDA moderated study to determine whether milk is beneficial or not. • -Putting warning labels on milk similar to tobacco products. • -Hold a conference of various organizations and associations that have an interest in this debate, so that many ideas can be generated. Introduction Milk was initially a means for mammals to feed their young in infancy however between 6000-8000 BC humans began domesticating animals and consuming other mammals milk post-infancy. Traditionally the human body stopped producing lactase (the sugar used to digest milk) after infancy, but the genetic make-up of the people of the cultures that began integrating it into thier diet experienced a genetic change and thier bodies continued to produce lactase into adulthood. Some cultures never integrated diary products into their diets which is why today 60-70% of the worlds population is lactose intolerant, meaning there bodies not longer are producing enough lactase to digest milk.[6] Milk consumption is highest in the American, Europe and Scandinavian populations. In those cultures milk has become an essential food for balanced nutrition. Milk consumption has been linked through scientific research with the prevention of a number of illnesses such as osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease and obesity. In countries such as the United States the federal drug administration includes daily dairy consumption in their food pyramid of essential food for balanced nutrition.[2] Few in the United States have questioned the nutritional perfection of milk until recently when scientific research began to appear citing that dairy’s claims of preventing diseases were fraudulent. One of the dairy associations most prevalent claims is that the large amounts of calcium in dairy help prevent the bone degenerating disease osteoporosis In the late 1990’s The Harvard Nurses’ Health Study conducting a 12 year study on 78,000 women and found that women who consumed the recommended three servings of dairy a day were no less likely to develop the fractures related to osteoporosis. After the shocking news of the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study other studies began to surface claiming that dairy consumption was related to increased risk of of other diseases dairy was thought to prevent.[7] This has started a war of scientific studies and words between groups such as the National Dairy Association and The Physicians Committees for Responsible Medicine. Both organizations have run and continue to run scientific studies regarding dairy in the hopes of finding more proof to substantiate their views. The dairy industry has been entrenched in American culture and politics since the countries founding. The American government currently gives substantial subsidies to their dairy industry so they can continue to flourish and fulfill the countries nutritional needs. The dairy industry continues a rigorous media campaign to remind the American public of their want and need of dairy. The anti-dairy industry is slowly gaining support as Americans being to think more about what they are consuming. The two groups are fundamentally opposed to the others opinion and are digging in their heels to see who can win the stomachs of Americans. References 1. Schmid, Ron. "Milk in History and Evolution." 2000. Seeds of Health. <http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/articles/milk_history_evolution.shtml>. 2. "What's Wrong With Dairy Products?." FAQs about Vegetarian Diets. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. 28 Jan 2007 <http://www.pcrm.org/health/info_on_Veg_Diets/dairy.html>. 3. "The Benefits of Dairy Foods in health Promotion." Dairy Council Digest. 05/2004. The National Dairy Council. 2 Feb 2007 <www.nationaldairycouncil.com>. 4. Roswell, Marjorie. "Milk Consupmtion Leads to Prostate Cancer." Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients 12/2004 02/03/07 <ASAP>. 5. Lindsay, Roberto and Jeri Nieves. "Milk and bones:you are what you drink." British Medical Journal 04/09/94 2/3/07 . 6. Schmid, Ron. "Milk in History and Evolution." Seeds of Health. 2 Feb 2007 <http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/articles/milk_history_evolution.shtml>. 7. "Milk: No Longer Recommended or Required” FAQs about Vegetarian Diets. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. 28 Jan 2007 <http://www.pcrm.org/health/info_on_Veg_Diets/dairy.html>. 8. Fast Facts. National Osteoporsis Foundation. <http://www.nof.org/osteoporosis/diseasefacts.htm>. 9. Stallings, Charles. Nutrition Changes Milk Composition. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. <http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/dairy/404-232/404-232.html>. 10. "AOA Fact Sheet." American Obesity Association. <http://www.obesity.org/subs/fastfacts/obesity_US.shtml>.