FOOD AND NUTRITION ISSUES LIKELY TO IMPACT THE DAIRY INDUSTRY IN THE NEXT 1 TO 3 YEARS

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1 Fall 2018 TRENDS FOOD AND NUTRITION ISSUES LIKELY TO IMPACT THE DAIRY INDUSTRY IN THE NEXT 1 TO 3 YEARS Research provides increasingly strong evidence on the health benefits of dairy foods for all age groups across many chronic diseases. Robust scientific evidence continues to show that consuming milk and dairy foods, at all fat levels, is associated with neutral or reduced risk for multiple chronic disease states. A recent study that followed over 136,000 adults across 21 countries linked high consumption of dairy with a reduced risk of major cardiovascular disease and stroke. 1 Another study indicated that dairy consumption decreases body weight, body fat and waist circumference with calorie restriction in adults 2 important fi ndings as obesity statistics remain high. An increase in health issues facing children now includes type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. At the same time, an increasing number of health professionals are recognizing that dairy foods have a positive impact on children s health beyond building strong bones and could help prevent the development of chronic diseases at a young age. Numerous studies suggest that dairy consumption in children is linked to improved insulin response, better glucose control and weight management. 3,4 In young children, maternal prenatal consumption of appropriate levels of dairy foods and early diet quality influence health outcomes for years to come. Several studies are looking at prenatal iodine levels and brain development, positively positioning milk as a significant delivery mechanism of iodine for pregnant women. 5, 6 The research linking milk and dairy food intake to positive health outcomes in children and their families must continue to be leveraged in a manner that resonates with consumers and health professionals alike. The growing body of evidence indicates that dietary recommendations and advice should include dairy foods, within caloric recommendations regardless of fat level, as a part of eating patterns that support optimal health at all stages of life. Dairy Council of California is dedicated to elevating the health of children and families in California through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating habits.

2 Diet quality is increasingly tied to health outcomes. Food choices create dietary patterns that have more influence on health outcomes than individual nutrients or food components. Nutrition experts agree that overall diet quality matters more than calories or single nutrient amounts. Research is uncovering the benefits of the food matrix, or complex structure of nutrients, which differs from the impacts of isolated components within a food. In nature, nothing happens in isolation, and the nutrients within a food work together to impact biological pathways, leading to positive health outcomes. Foods also interact with other foods in unique ways. When certain foods are eaten together, their nutritional benefits are amplified. For example, once probiotic-rich fermented foods like yogurt and kefir are eaten, the beneficial bacteria feed off prebiotics from fiber-rich foods in the gut. Therefore, pairing yogurt with fruit or whole grains enhances the benefits of the probiotics. This is referred to as food synergy. Foods eaten together are greater than the sum of their parts, which is why an overall healthy eating pattern is important. be nutrients against nutrients. For example, research shows that carbohydrates delivered in a sugarsweetened beverage such as a soft drink increase risk of cardiovascular disease as compared with equal amounts of carbohydrate from other starchbearing foods such as whole-grain bread. Similarly, polyunsaturated fats found in foods such as nuts, seeds, fish and seed oils lower cardiovascular disease risk as compared with saturated fats. However, emerging research suggests that the saturated fats in dairy foods are associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases. 7 These observations may indicate beneficial properties of a dairy matrix, or unique structure of nutrients found in dairy foods, including saturated and unsaturated fats, vitamin K, calcium, potassium and probiotics found in fermented dairy products like yogurt. These nutrients in the dairy matrix seem to interact in unique ways to impact health. To assess healthfulness of a dietary pattern, it may be optimal to look at the overall quality of the foods commonly consumed and how they work together to offer complete nutrition. Better health outcomes are associated with nutrient-dense foods that are less processed and lower in added sugars. The good news is that dairy foods like milk, cheese and yogurt are wholesome foods that are positively associated with diet quality. Simply promoting a diverse diet may lead to unintended health consequences as it could indicate eating a diversity of both healthy foods and unhealthy ones, such as heavily processed packaged foods. Furthermore, not all foods within the food groups are created equal. When discussing the quality of foods within a food group, the comparison cannot 2018 Dairy Council of California

3 Plant-based eating patterns gain support as central to the definition of healthy eating. Ensuring dairy foods are included as an essential part of a healthy eating pattern is critical. Institutional food systems, including those at hospitals and schools, are at the forefront of implementing plant-based eating strategies and could serve as catalysts for future food offerings. Health care is becoming a key influencer in the plant-based movement. Health providers are looking for innovative ways to infuse disease prevention and cost savings into their food systems, championing the concept of food as medicine. Hospitals across the country are implementing plant-based menu offerings, hospital gardens, healthy vending options and food prescription boxes. The foodservice management company, Sodexo, recently partnered with the Humane Society to offer more than 200 plant-based recipes to use in contracted facilities, which range from hospitals to schools and universities. Focus on consuming plant-based foods is giving rise to alternative food products that imitate milk and dairy foods, as well as meat. Furthermore, terms like plant-based milk or lab-grown meat suggest nutritional equivalence. This has led to an increasingly urgent debate on how to define food products that do not originate from traditional agriculture or production. There has been an increase in legislation to help provide guidance on these issues, with Missouri being the first state to pass a law prohibiting food producers from using the word meat for anything other than animal flesh. As legislative solutions continue to advance, educating the public is critical to help consumers understand that competitive products may not be nutritionally equivalent to milk and dairy foods or meat. Although the health benefits of consuming more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and plant-based proteins are well founded, it should not diminish the importance of dairy foods in healthy eating patterns. Milk and dairy foods, as well as animal protein, offer important nutrients in unique proportions not found in other food groups. For children ages 2 18, dairy particularly milk is the number one source of calcium, vitamin D and potassium in the diet. 8 As plant-based food offerings continue to grow in the marketplace, helping consumers, especially families with young children, know the importance of including nutrient-dense dairy foods in their diet is essential.

4 There is a growing urgency to define the intersection between sustainability and nutrition. Due to the rapidly changing global landscape, every sector of society plays a role in sustainability, from transportation and food systems to the individual consumers. With the urgent push to sustain the planet and its resources, there is a lack of consensus on how to define sustainability, collect and analyze data, and present solutions. Traditional companies are in the vanguard, introducing initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable food system. Danone, Mars, Nestle and Unilever recently launched the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance to focus on nutrition and sustainability. Healthcare and school systems are also becoming more influential in sustainability. Institutional food waste is a focus in these conversations, especially in education where youth-led projects align sustainability with STEAM an approach to learning that connects Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. Waste Hunger, Not Food Kern County was recently launched to collect and donate extra school meals to those in need of nutritious food just one example of how school districts are looking to contribute to a sustainable food system. Sustainable nutrition is a topic with international importance, as countries around the world are faced with addressing the triple burden of malnutrition, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies while protecting finite natural resources. This is one reason the United Nations launched the Sustainable Development Goals with the global aim of drastically decreasing poverty, hunger, climate change and inequality by Within these goals is a focus to end hunger, improve health and well-being and promote sustainable agriculture. At every level, there is an inextricable link between health and sustainable food systems. Moving into the future, it is inevitable that nutrition recommendations and guidelines will integrate sustainability. For the dairy community, sustainable nutrition is a way to strike a balance among nourishing people, caring for animals and sustaining the environment. A successful approach to achieving sustainable nutrition will encompass all aspects of the agri-food chain and be grounded in nutrition science to protect the health of the planet, the population and the individual.

5 Let Us Help You Tell Our Industry s Story In order to meet the growing need to connect consumers to dairy farm families, Dairy Council of California has launched the DairyUp app, a new mobile tool designed to help the dairy industry effectively communicate with consumers. Through initial surveys of key stakeholders and health professionals, visiting dairy farms has had a positive impact on perceptions and knowledge of the industry, with potential to grow this awareness even further. California dairy farm families and processors have an amazing story to tell. Please download the DairyUP app and James Winstead, JWinstead@DairyCouncilofCA.org, for access to exclusive industry content. References: 1. Dehghan M, Mente A, Rangarajan S et al. Association of dairy intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 21 countries from five continents (PURE): A prospective cohort study. Lancet S (18) Accessed September 27, Geng T, Qi L. Effects of dairy products consumption on body weight and body composition among adults: An updated meta analysis of 37 randomized control trials. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2017;62( ). org/ /mnfr Accessed September 27, Study suggests obese children who meet milk guidelines have less risk of metabolic syndrome. ScienceDaily. Published May 25, Accessed October 8, Milk and dairy do not promote childhood obesity according to comprehensive new review. EurekAlert. Published May 24, Accessed October 8, Velasco I, Bath SC, Rayman MP. Iodine as essential nutrient during the first 1000 days of life. Nutrients. 2018;10(3). Accessed September 27, O Kane SM, Pourshahidi LK, Mulhern MS et al. Cow milk consumption increases iodine status in women of childbearing age in a randomized controlled trial. J Nutr. 2018;148(3): Accessed September 27, Stanhope KL, Goran MI, Bosy-Westphal A et al. Pathways and mechanisms linking dietary components to cardiometabolic disease: Thinking beyond calories. Obes Rev. 2018;19: Accessed September 27, O Neil CE, Nicklas TA, Fulgoni VL. Food sources of energy and nutrients of public health concern and nutrients to limit with a focus on milk and other dairy foods in children 2 to 18 years of age: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Nutrients. 2018;10(8). Accessed September 27, Sustainable Development Goals. United Nations. Accessed September 27, Dairy Council of California

6 1418 N. Market Blvd., Suite 500 Sacramento, CA HealthyEating.org RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED The fall edition of the Dairy Industry TRENDS newsletter is brought to you by James Winstead and the Dairy Council of CA Nutrition Science team. James Winstead Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Industry Relations Manager Produced twice annually by Dairy Council of California, the TRENDS newsletter updates industry leaders on emerging nutrition issues likely to positively or negatively affect the dairy industry. Connect Online With Dairy Council of California The trends tracking system, monitored by a team of Dairy Council of California staff, is designed to identify issues early and track their development through multiple communication channels. For more information on TRENDS, please contact James Winstead at: JWinstead@DairyCouncilofCA.org. HealthyEating.org Facebook.com/DairyCouncilofCA Twitter.com/HealthyEating JWinstead@DairyCouncilofCA.org to sign up for electronic news.