Milk and dairy products do not promote healthy bones in kids and young adults, a Washington-based research group found after analyzing 58 studies.
The review was prompted by a "calcium paradox," the researchers said. Though Americans are some of the world's highest consumers of dairy products, U.S. rates of osteoporosis and bone fracture also are among the world's highest.
The non-profit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reported there is little connection between calcium and bone health and "scant" evidence backing current U.S. recommendations on the intake of dairy products.
"A clear majority of the studies we examined for this review found no relationship between dairy or dietary calcium intake and measures of bone health. In the remaining reports, the evidence was sketchy," wrote Amy Joy Lanou, lead author.
Some studies showed a small impact on bone health but, in some cases, those conclusions were confounded by use of milk fortified with vitamin D, which also is important for strong bones.
The study appears in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics
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