Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 24, No. 90006, 525S (2005)
Published by the American College of Nutrition
Introduction
Helen Bishop-MacDonald, MSc, RD, FDC
Dairy Farmers of Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
The International Dairy Federation (IDF) is a coalition of milk producers and processors from around the world. Its members are concerned with issues that vary from cow comfort to dairy science and technology to, of course, the nutritional value of dairy foods. Nutritionists who specialize in the role of milk in the diet make up one of IDF’s standing committees—the Standing Committee on Nutrition and Health—and have been instrumental in bringing together the papers presented in this supplement.
Many mainstream health and nutrition organizations worldwide recommend daily consumption of dairy products for optimal health. Nevertheless, the last decade or so has seen an increase in the number and variety of claims made against the inclusion of milk and/or its products in the diet. A single supplement cannot address all such matters, but the purpose of this supplement is to address in a scientific and objective manner the validity of some of these concerns. Specialists in several key areas of dairy and health were invited to submit manuscripts for publication in this supplement so that health professionals, and other interested parties, would have a comprehensive overview to which to refer when confronted with conflicting viewpoints.
As the year 2005 draws to a close, the International Dairy Federation’s Standing Committee on Nutrition and Health is pleased to bring to light the views of some of the world’s top nutrition scientists on this food that has served mankind for over 10,000 years. To have people question its consumption on the basis of flawed and faulty science is to no one’s benefit... neither does it serve to have unwarranted claims disseminated. Milk is not a one-nutrient food, nor is its impact restricted to one condition such as osteoporosis. Its many bioactive components are only just beginning to be defined and explained, and it is hoped that this supplement will support, in a meaningful and practical way, a greater understanding of its contribution to the human condition.
