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The ramifications of banning chocolate milk

In an effort to fight childhood obesity, schools across the country have taken chocolate milk off the school lunch menu. A new study from Cornell University finds that may not have been a good idea.

The study looked at 11 elementary schools in one Oregon school district which banned flavored milk from the cafeteria. They used data from the National School Lunch Program to determine what happened.

The results: Total daily milk sales declined nearly 10 percent. While white milk use increased, nearly 30 percent of it was thrown away. Eliminating chocolate milk was also linked to nearly 7 percent fewer students eating school lunches.

The study goes on to state on a nation-wide basis, when chocolate milk is offered, nearly 78 percent of all students took milk, once chocolate was removed 71 percent took milk.

The researchers conclude that while removing chocolate milk from school cafeterias may appear to have the immediate benefit of reducing sugar and calorie consumption, calcium and protein consumption were also reduced.

The study; A Pilot Study Evaluating the Cafeteria Consequences of Eliminating Flavored Milk, was funded by the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs and is published on-line on the PLOS ONE website found here.

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  An example of being penny wise and pound foolish. Of course the is government SOP far too frequently.

  As far as choclate milk, how about if we just make it choclate milk. You know what I mean? Regular cows milk with choclate added. No skim or low fat. No caragyan or guar gum or any of those other extenders, texturizers, etc. Just milk and chochlate like we used to make at home.

  Doesn’t that make more sense?

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  As fluid milk sales drop and the dietary benefits of milk for children are forgotten. Child obesity continues to increase. How can this be the fault of milk? Let’s see a government study look at the positive benefits of milk whether white or chocolate and reduce the sugar and fat intake of children from the other diet sources and then evaluate child health.

  Kids and adults would drink a lot more milk if it tasted good. Why doesn’t milk taste good – all the desirable tastes components have been removed. Who likes drinking dish water? If I recall, milk is a great source of calcium. I think women are in need of calcium and many other valuable nutrients in milk.

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