Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Got milk?
Student Health Services hopes students do. A milk mustache event held at the Student Recreation Fitness Center Tuesday aimed to educate students about the importance of milk in their diets.
Ann Chapman, dietitian for Student Health Services, said students were not getting enough calcium in their daily diets. She said most students who went in to have their eating habits evaluated didn’t drink milk. Chapman said it was more common for students to drink pop, water or iced tea with their meals.
“It’s amazing how much milk consumption has gone down,” she said.
Sarah Mann, Overland Park senior, said she had never been much of a milk-drinker. Whether living with her parents during high school or living on her own, Mann said she had milk with her cereal. Otherwise, the occasional glass was all she drank.
According to the National Dairy Council, three 8-ounce glasses of milk can account for almost all daily calcium needs. A diet lacking in calcium can lead to unhealthy bones, and milk provides the body with nine essential nutrients. Along with being a good source of calcium, milk also offers a large amount of vitamin D, which helps bones absorb the calcium.
But not all students can get their calcium from milk or dairy products. The National Dairy Council estimates about 25 percent of the U.S. population suffers from lactose intolerance. The condition doesn’t mean those individuals can’t consume dairy products, it means their bodies can’t break down lactose, a key ingredient in dairy products. The National Dairy Council suggests that people with the condition supplement their diets with yogurt or aged cheese, such as cheddar.
Diana Spathis, Chicago senior, discovered she was lactose intolerant halfway through her freshman year. She includes calcium in her diet by taking calcium pills daily. She said avoiding problem foods had never been difficult.
“I’ve always been a really picky eater,” Spathis said. “It was never really a problem. I just eat what I like. If something makes me sick, I stop eating it.”
Spathis said she didn’t often think about the prevalence of calcium in her diet, but would if it became a health issue.
Chapman said college students often removed milk from their diets without thinking of the long-term effects. She said students could go four years without drinking milk and not give it a second thought because they didn’t feel the effects.
“Your bones aren’t going to feel weak now,” Chapman said. “You aren’t going to notice it until you get older. Strengthening bones is a process that’s years in the making.”
Tuesday’s event took place in the front entrance of the recreation center. Students were offered free samples of white, chocolate or soy milk. In addition, students could have their picture taken wearing milk mustaches, win prizes and learn more about the importance of calcium.
Got milk?
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