For More Information:
Lana Frantzen, M.S.
Communications Director
Toll-Free 888.897.8744
Cell Phone 210.845.3819
FrantzeL@dairymax.org

Grand Prairie, TX – August 8, 2008 – In light of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s new report, “Marketing Food to Children and Adolescents,” the dairy industry embraces the opportunity to foster healthier diets among kids and teens by promoting the consumption of nutrient-rich milk and dairy foods and other government-recommended “food groups to encourage.”

Dairy products accounted for less than 4 percent of the total food marketing expenditures targeting children and adolescents in 2006, which indicates a need to step up efforts to market dairy foods as part of healthy diets and active lifestyles for young people. The dairy industry will encourage individual dairy foods marketers to follow FTC’s recommendations when developing new campaigns. 

“Child health and nutrition is a dairy industry priority and we’re committed to getting the word out about nutritious and great-tasting dairy foods that can be enjoyed in all the places where kids learn and play,” said Ann Marie Krautheim, MA, RD, LD, senior vice president of nutrition affairs at the National Dairy Council (NDC). “Dairy foods play an essential role in helping children meet their nutrient needs.”

Together milk, cheese and yogurt contain nine essential nutrients and milk is the number one source of seven nutrients in the diets of children 2-18 years of age: calcium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, riboflavin, vitamin A and vitamin B-12¹. Since most children do not consume the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans² recommended three age-appropriate servings of low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products, increasing children’s intake of milk and dairy products to recommended levels is key to improving diet quality.

“We consistently conduct impactful advertising and marketing programs that motivate kids and teens to make healthy food and beverage choices, while maintaining an active lifestyle.” said Kurt Graetzer, chief executive officer of the Milk Processor Education Program. On behalf of milk processors nationwide, we will continue to support this goal through the teen-targeted Body By Milk program.

In keeping with the FTC’s new recommendations, the dairy industry is working to improve the nutritional profiles of products marketed to kids and teens. Many milk processors have made lower-calorie, lower-sugar flavored milk formulations available for the 08-09 school year. Milk (regular and lactose-free), cheese and yogurt are all available in a variety of low-fat, fat-free and reduced-fat options to meet taste and nutritional needs.

¹ 1994–96, 1998 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals. Dietary Source Nutrient Database for USDA Survey Food Codes.
² U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005. 6th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 2005.

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