- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- recipes today articles
- recipes today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Chocolate Milk in the Sippy Cup
Does Flavored Milk Affect a Child's Weight?
By Teri Brown
Dr. Mary Murphy, the Nutrition Science Manager for the ENVIRON International Corporation, an international environmental and health sciences consultancy, and the co-author of the milk and BMI (body mass index) study, says this study is important for several reasons. "Many studies provide evidence that milk is an important source of key nutrients," Dr. Murphy says. "Several studies also suggest that drinking milk has no negative effects on body measures such as BMI. However, there is very little research on the role of flavored milk in the diet."
The researchers compared nutrient intakes and BMIs among children and adolescents who include flavored milk in their diets, those who drink only plain milk and those who drink no milk. Their findings show that diets that contain flavored milk or only plain milk are both associated with higher intakes of many important nutrients compared to diets with no milk, and that drinking milk is not associated with an adverse effect on BMI. Results from our study indicate that flavored milk can fit into a healthful diet.
"Parents may be hesitant to offer flavored milk due to the higher levels of addd sugars and calories," Dr. Murphy says. "A glass of plain low-fat milk provides about 100 calories, while a glass of chocolate low-fat milk provides about 160 calories. Results from our study show that children and adolescents who drink flavored milk or exclusively plain milk have comparable or lower total intakes of added sugars as compared to people who consume no milk."