Dairy Consumption and Nutritional Impact in Children and Adolescents
Summary
Dairy products contribute substantially to the dietary intake of key nutrients in childhood and adolescence, notably calcium, high-quality protein, vitamin D, riboflavin and phosphorus. These nutrients support bone mineralisation, linear growth and the attainment of peak bone mass. Regular consumption of milk and fermented dairy has been associated with neutral or inverse relationships to adiposity, potentially through mechanisms involving protein-induced satiety, modulation of lipid absorption and interactions with the gut microbiota. Beyond macronutrients, dairy is often the principal source of dietary iodine in some countries, and the shift towards plant-based milk alternatives without adequate fortification has raised concerns about emerging micronutrient shortfalls. Dietary modelling suggests that meeting established dairy recommendations can reduce the prevalence of inadequate intakes of calcium, magnesium and vitamin A, while patterns that substitute full-fat with low-fat options may lower total energy and saturated fat intake without compromising micronutrient density. Moreover, dairy consumption often correlates with broader healthy eating patterns, including higher fruit, vegetable and cereal intake, underscoring its role as a marker for overall diet quality. Practical applications include targeted fortification, age-appropriate portion guidance and integration of dairy recommendations into public health strategies aimed at optimising growth, preventing deficiency and supporting healthy body composition on a global scale.
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Dairy Consumption and Nutritional Impact in Children and Adolescents publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in dairy consumption and nutritional impact in children and adolescents across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Anthropometric measures: Standardised assessments of body size and composition, such as height-for-age and body mass index, used to track growth and nutritional status.
Dietary modelling: Computational simulation of dietary scenarios to predict nutrient intakes and health outcomes under various consumption patterns.
Fortification threshold: The minimum concentration of an added nutrient in a food product required to achieve a public health benefit without exceeding safe levels.
In silico modelling: Use of computer-based simulations to forecast biological or nutritional effects of interventions before real-world implementation.
Micronutrient adequacy: The extent to which a diet provides sufficient vitamins and minerals to meet established dietary requirements for growth and health.
References
- Evaluating the impact of an oral nutrition supplement on biochemical profile, growth, and body composition in Indian children: an in-silico study. Frontiers in Nutrition (2025).
- Theory of Food: Unravelling the Lifelong Impact of Childhood Dietary Habits on Adult Food Preferences across Different Diet Groups. Nutrients (2024).
- The impact of replacing milk with plant-based alternatives on iodine intake: a dietary modelling study. European Journal of Nutrition (2024).
- Consuming the daily recommended amounts of dairy products would reduce the prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intakes in the United States: diet modeling study based on NHANES 2007–2010. Nutrition Journal (2015).
- Potential Population-Level Nutritional Impact of Replacing Whole and Reduced-Fat Milk With Low-Fat and Skim Milk Among US Children Aged 2–19 Years. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (2015).
- A critical review of the role of milk and other dairy products in the development of obesity in children and adolescents. Nutrition Research Reviews (2018).
- Food Sources of Energy and Nutrients of Public Health Concern and Nutrients to Limit with a Focus on Milk and other Dairy Foods in Children 2 to 18 Years of Age: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2014. Nutrients (2018).
- The association of dairy intake of children and adolescents with different food and nutrient intakes in the Netherlands. BMC Pediatrics (2016).
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