Dairy Milk Isn’t Healthy for Kids

The so-called Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act (H.R. 1147 / S.1957) would reverse long-standing current federal policies and force schools to offer students whole dairy milk, which is high in saturated fat and poses significant health risks. The U.S. House already passed this dangerous bill and now industry wants to include it in the Farm Bill. We must make sure it doesn’t move forward in the Senate.

While many diet-related chronic diseases are still concentrated among adults, childhood is when eating habits are formed. People who consume dairy have been found to have a higher body mass index than those who do not, as well as higher risk of diabetes. Meanwhile, early signs of heart disease, high cholesterol, and other indicators of cardiovascular disease are appearing in children with increasing frequency. Forcing full-fat whole dairy milk back into schools will only cause further health problems for our nation’s youth.

Ultimately, whole milk provides no nutrients that cannot be found in other sources. Protein, for example, often touted as needing to come from milk consumption, can easily be sourced from other foods and drinks (like soy milk) that do not contain saturated fat. Rich sources of calcium include kale, broccoli, tofu, nuts, beans, and fortified orange juice. Potassium is similarly available in a wide range of plant foods. Finally, sun exposure is the best means of getting adequate vitamin D.

Besides reducing the nutritional quality of school lunches, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act would perpetuate barriers for children needing to access nutritious and appropriate beverages. This legislation would further enshrine federal barriers that schools and parents face in providing and accessing nondairy substitutes. Currently, nondairy milks are required to be served only if a parent submits a note from a physician documenting a “disability” that restricts their child’s diet. The cost of a physician visit (and the lost time from work for a parent) is an unnecessary burden that prevents students from receiving appropriate nutrition at school. Notably, due to high incidences of lactose intolerance, parents and students of color suffer disproportionately from this burden. Further, lactose intolerance is a specific genetic trait (like left-handedness or hair texture) and not a disability.

Instead of this misguided bill, Congress should advance legislation (like H.R. 3276, the Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act) that would align school nutrition policies with dietary science and the latest recommendations from organizations like the American Medical Association, which recommends removing barriers for students with lactose intolerance to access nondairy beverages. This bill would set a dangerous precedent of allowing Congress to carve out special exemptions – at the behest of the dairy industry and others – to school nutrition standards, circumventing the recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

We can’t let Congress force whole milk on our nation’s kids. Contact your senators and ask them to oppose the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and instead make it easier for students to receive nutritious nondairy beverages.