November 10, 2009 - Parents nationwide are being asked to “raise their hands” for chocolate milk as the National Dairy Council and the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) kicked off a new campaign this week.  The purpose of the campaign is to highlight the unintended consequences of removing chocolate and other flavored milks from school lunches. 

Well intentioned efforts to strengthen the nutritional quality of school meals often include efforts to remove flavored milks from school lunch offerings.  This campaign attempts to educate the public about the nutrition benefits flavored milk offers children.  The campaign’s website, www.RaiseYourHand4Milk.com, features facts and science on chocolate milk and its role in children’s diets.  The site also encourages parents to sign the Raise Your Hand petition to support.  Parents can also join the Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk cause page on Facebook.

A new study presented at the American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in late October found that when flavored milk was removed from a school district in Connecticut, milk selection dropped by as much as 63 percent.  The study authors noted that it is important for parents and school districts to recognize the potential unintended consequences of removing flavored milks from the lunch line.  Milk is a source of several key nutrients, including calcium, protein, potassium, vitamin D, magnesium, riboflavin, and zinc.  Study authors argue that the benefit of receiving these nutrients outweighs the small amount of added sugar found in chocolate milk.

The study authors also found that children who drink flavored milk have better quality diets than non-flavored milk drinkers.  Flavored milk drinkers do not have higher overall intakes of sugar, fat, or calories and are not heavier than non-flavored milk drinkers.

Leading health and nutrition organizations - including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association - recognize the valuable role that low-fat or fat-free milk, including flavored milk, can play in meeting daily nutrient needs, and helping kids get the daily servings of milk recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

For more information on the campaign, please visit the link below.

www.RaiseYourHand4Milk.com