3 July 2013 - Nutraingredients - Sweetened milk consumption 'undermines' child diet quality, says Harvard expert

Sweetened, reduced-fat dairy products such as chocolate milk, which can contain up to 13g more sugar than ordinary milk, can be detrimental to the health of the consumer, according to Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, David Ludwig.

In an article outlining his concerns, 'Three Daily Servings of Reduced Fat Milk: An Evidence-Based Recommendation?', Ludwig claimed that flavoured milk consumption in the US 'warrants special attention'.

"While limiting whole milk, some healthy beverage guidelines condone, and many schools provide, sugar-sweetened milk with the aim of achieving recommended levels of total milk consumption in children.  Not surprisingly, children prefer sweetened to unsweetened milk when given the choice, leading to a marked increase in the proportion of sweetened milk consumption in recent years".