From: tiff@kona.cs.ucla.edu (Tiffany Frazier)
Subject: Dr.Spock and the Milk Controversy
Organization: UCLA, Computer Science Department
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 92 16:24:27 GMT

This article was posted in misc.kids where a fair amount of Spock and milk
discussion is taking place...  There people seem to mainly "agree" that
Dr. Spock was misquoted [except for those parents whose kids don't drink cow's
milk (like mine) - who mainly just say "here,here".].   I'm very curious as
to reactions of fellow rec.food.veggers here.  For example - is there truth
to the following statement (quoted from below) - "The American Medical
Association has publicly condemned actions of PCRM as irresponsible and not
representative of the views of medical doctors."  There are a lot of "loaded"
statements here and I'd like to better know the truth behind these things.

-tiff
(I've never done this, but I assume since this was posted in one newsgroup 
that it is perfectly "net-ethical" to crosspost it to another)

[ Article crossposted from misc.kids ]
[ Author was Cynthia Maher ]
[ Posted on Thu, 1 Oct 1992 11:37:20 GMT ]

In <1992Oct1.104144.24681@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> MAHER@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu writes:
> 
> I work for the Cooperative Extension Service, and in my e-mail this morning
> there was a post from Dr. Ken Lee, Chair of the Food Science Department here at
> Ohio State University. . .I will try to figure out how to post his e-mail message in
> its entirety so that you can all read it.
> 
> Cindy

Here is Dr. Lee's message:

From:	MX%"kelee@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu" 30-SEP-1992 16:59:28.18
To:	MAHER
CC:	
Subj:	DONT DRINK MILK

DON'T DRINK MILK:  ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS DISGUISED AS DOCTORS DISPENSE MORE
DUBIOUS DIET ADVICE

BIG MEDIA FOOLED AGAIN.

The purpose of this message sent exclusively on Ohio's extension network is to
provide the scientific facts behind this message, and clarify the identity of
PCRM.

A 9/30/92 AP wire story today and network news last night reported "Parents
should be alerted to the potential risks to their children from cow's milk
products... Milk should not be required or recommended in Government
guidelines."  The press conference was called by The Physicians Committee for
Responsible Medicine (PCRM).  The presence of famous baby doctor Benjamin Spock
at the news conference appeared to lend weight to the committee's contentions.
 In a telephone interview reported by the New York Times, Dr. Spock made it
clear that he agreed only that breast feeding is the preferred way to feed
infants, and that whole milk should not be given to infants under 1 year.  This
latter statement is the conventional advice dispensed by most pediatricians
today.

You may recall in April, 1991 PCRM also made front page news recommending four
new food groups.  Conspicuously absent from the four groups were all meats and
animal products.  In a June 1991 Timely Tips extension release from this
department, it was made clear that only 6% of PCRM members are actually
physicians.  Who are these people who wish to be mistaken as medical
professionals?  The PCRM is a front for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals).  Again, animal rights activists are making dietary recommendations
to which popular media gives credibility.

The American Medical Association has publicly condemned actions of PCRM as
irresponsible and not representative of the views of medical doctors.  Most
scientists recognize the need for responsible use of animals in research and
the need for animal products in the diets of children (failure to thrive in
children is a direct result of strict vegetarian diets).  Their intentional
disguise as physicians is unethical and most news accounts encourage continued
abuse of public trust.

What is the current scientific knowledge behind the claims made by PCRM?

     Claim:  milk produces iron deficiency in infants.
Fact:  Milk contains little iron but it does not cause iron deficiency.
Consider this analogy:  diet beverages contain few calories but they do not
cause starvation.

    Claim:  Other foods such as kale, broccoli or fish provide more calcium.
Fact: Vegetables like kale and broccoli contain calcium although they do not
contain the same available calcium as milk.  About 70% of dietary calcium comes
from dairy products.  Most calcium in vegetables is chemically bound to other
compounds and is less available for absorption.  Calcium from fish is generally
not eaten, as it is mostly in the fish bone.  Most calcium in milk is readily
absorbed.  It is important that growing children as well as women up through
the age of 25 to 30 consume sufficient calcium in an available form to decrease
the risk of bone abnormalities, ensure normal fetal development and decrease
risk of osteoporosis.  Children often refuse to eat broccoli, kale and fish
bones in sufficient quantities to match the high calcium density of milk.

    Claim:  Milk has too much fat.
Fact:  Whole milk is 3.5% fat.  Skim milk contains very little fat.
Pediatricians recommend 2% milk for children because milk fat contains
essential nutrients needed for normal growth and development.  When fat in milk
is of concern, skim or part skim milk may be consumed so that other important
nutrients remain in the diet.

    Claim: Milk is not a source of any nutrients that cannot be obtained from
other foods.
Fact:  Milk is not a unique source of these nutrients but it is a vital source
in our diet of most vitamins, especially vitamin D, vitamin B12, and
riboflavin. There is evidence that children fed a vegetarian diet devoid of
milk are at a much higher risk for deficiencies of Vitamins D and B12 than
those fed a diet containing dairy products (Ref: Taking the fear out of eating,
Cambridge University Press, 1992).

    Claim:  Milk causes juvenile onset diabetes.
Fact:  Milk does not cause diabetes. This misleading claim is based on a
preliminary report in the July 30, 1992 issue of the New England Journal of
Medicine. The paper reports observations which need to be examined further but
it does not prove milk consumption causes juvenile diabetes. The paper reported
an antibody against a particular protein found in cow's milk was found in blood
of children who were newly diagnosed as having juvenile diabetes.  The antibody
interacted with a protein on the surface of rat pancreas cells.  These
conclusions are questionable for technical reasons and certainly do not warrant
depriving children of the well established benefits of consuming dairy
products.

    Claim:  Milk causes diarrhea and gas in people who are lactose intolerant.
Fact:  True statement.  Some people are lactose intolerant because of genetic
trait in which the enzyme to digest lactose is absent.  Lactose intolerance is
rarely a problem in children.  Adolescents and adults can consume dairy
products with lactose removed and most can consume yogurt without symptoms of
lactose intolerance.  About 50% of adult blacks and 90% of adult orientals are
lactose intolerant.

We hope this quickly written and reviewed message is useful to you.  Thank you
for your interest in science based food information.

     Written by:
Dr. Ken Lee, Professor and Chair and Dr. John Allred, Professor of Nutrition
Food Science and Technology

     Reviewed for accuracy by:
Dr. Karla Roehrig, Associate Professor of Nutrition, Dr. Grady Chism, Professor
of Food Science and Technology.

end-of-file: wp5.1 pcrmmilk.tip

--
tiff@cs.ucla.edu
!{rutgers, ucbvax}!ucla-cs!tiff
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg