One in six Australians is avoiding milk and dairy foods

Actual report at http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FPHN%2FPHN19_09%2FS1368980015003250a.pdf&code=719649e62d50105b535dff80e4f96db5

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=10325694&fileId=S1368980015003250
Wow!
"Conclusions: The findings are further evidence of a widespread tendency for consumers to exercise control over their health by eliminating dietary factors considered suspect without medical evidence or oversight. Unanswered questions include the decision processes underlying dairy avoidance, whether symptoms are attributed correctly, the agents and physiological mechanism(s) involved, the relative contributions of symptom severity and vigilance to the association with illness worry, and the nutritional adequacy of dairy avoiders’ diets. Irrespective of the accuracy of self-diagnoses, if the elimination of suspect foods is an end in itself the paradoxical possibility for nutritional imbalances may have significant public health implications."
So people are avoiding dairy because they think it makes them ill. I wonder if they asked if people felt better when the stopped consuming dairy.

I await the "milk is good for you campaign". Nice to know where your tax dollars go to isn't it?

Jeezus! The fear factor gets cranked up even more at CSIRO's own website - http://www.csiro.au/en/News/News-releases/2016/Dairy-avoidance-reaches-dangerous-levels?featured=F29EDEB1728C4A92B579C7A5DC28BAD5

"Dairy avoidance reaches dangerous levels - Dairy foods are important for all of us, but especially for women owing to the calcium content, and foods from the dairy and alternatives group are important throughout life to reduce the risk of osteoporosis."

and the same story but from China - mmm, what did I say about global glut ...
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/1960396/drink-and-move-it-hong-kong-children-dont-get
Almost all children in Hong Kong do not consume enough dairy while three-quarters are not getting enough exercise, according to a newly released study.

It was revealed that 13 per cent of those surveyed did not consume any dairy products at all.

Dietitian Samson Chim Siu-chow said the department recommended that children consume two servings of milk or alternatives per day. One serving is equivalent to 240ml of milk, 150g of low-fat plain yoghurt or two slices of low-fat cheese.

“The results indicated a serious shortfall in local children’s dairy intake, which is worrying,” he said.

The main reasons for not consuming dairy products were the lack of such a routine, the products not being made available at home, and an aversion to how the products tasted.

Chim encouraged parents to incorporate dairy products into their family’s diet and stock up on milk, cheese or yoghurt. He added the products should be accessibly placed for children.

(So leave your milk carton where a child might get it ... yeah, great idea.)

My bf said "how did the indigenous people survive, not carting a cow-teat around with them?".

At least this is a topic where paleo & vegans unite.

Thanks robert

and from Canada -
"Did you know that 2 out of 3 Canadians are not getting enough daily milk products? Make sure you do! Learn more at https://www.dairygoodness.ca/ "
(one of many sites run by the Dairy Farmers of Canada - https://www.dairyfarmers.ca/ )

Wow this stuff. I'm just reading the CSIRO one now.

"Dairy foods are important for all of us, but especially for women owing to the calcium content, and foods from the dairy and alternatives group are important throughout life to reduce the risk of osteoporosis."

Just quietly adding in the "and alternative group" into that sentence and nowhere else in the discussion. Hmmm.

And then. “It’s not just about missing out on the food type being avoided and risking your health, but also possibly overconsuming other foods to compensate as well". Nicely vague.

Dairy products and meats contain a large amount of saturated fats. By reducing the amount of saturated fats from your diet, you’ll improve your health tremendously, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health. I also came across an article the other day which states that the human body is not designed to digest cow milk and cow milk dairy products, yet the idea of milk being healthy is pushed through advertising. As many as 75% of people in the world may be lactose intolerant and many people suffer from undiagnosed milk allergies or sensitivities. By eliminating cow’s milk from your diet, you are improving your overall health.

It's not surprising that more and more people are turning to a vegan diet for the health benefits. Since I became vegan, I observed an increased in energy and a much better skin tone. So I went the extra mile and incorporated juice detox and gluten free salad into my diet and the results were phenomenal. My coworkers and I use office catering http://homejuice.com.au/pages/melbourne-healthy-corporate-catering for their amazing juices and great vegan menu.

I hope that people will become more educated about the benefits of becoming vegan to prevent major health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.  

"I hope that people will become more educated about the benefits of becoming vegan to prevent major health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer."

Careful with the sell there - I'd look more into the benefits of going vegan before saying it cures diabetes and cancer for example.