The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Dairy Ties

Thank you to dietitian Anya Todd for bringing the following to our attention:

“The latest issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has an article about “Restricted Diets in the Absence of Medical Necessity.” One of the sections is about giving up dairy — and the dietitian quoted works for the Dairy Council of California.

Here is a quote from the article:

‘Milk alternatives – soy, rice, and almond, among others – have grown in popularity among consumers looking to minimize dairy intake, says [Mary Anne] Burkman, but anecdotal evidence indicates failure to thrive is increasing because of it. “Well-meaning parents are giving what they think is comparable to cow’s milk, but it’s very low in protein. Soy milk is not fortified with vitamin D, which affects bone health and strength. Parents don’t see that these aren’t comparable items. Consumers often don’t understand the nuances across various products.” It is important that individuals carefully consider the positive and negative consequences of eliminating dairy from the diet — and whether benefits outweigh risks, especially in children — as well as the scientific evidence to back up any claims to support choosing such restrictions.”

Soy milk is certainly fortified — as evidenced by the label of the soy milk carton in my fridge. Additionally, citing “anecdotal evidence” that failure to thrive is occurring in children due to lack of dairy is not science.

I am appalled at such faulty information in what should be a science-based and accurate professional journal.”

DFPI adds: With fluid milk intake in freefall, the dairy industry is in panic mode, and one of their latest tactics is to paint non-dairy milks as nutritionally inferior.

The Dairy Council of California reached out to Anya and to DFPI Strategic Director Andy Bellatti on Twitter yesterday to state that “Ms. Burkman does not recall discussing vit. D w/ author during interview + we’ve requested a correction.”

We appreciate that update and are happy to hear a correction will be made. We can’t help but wonder, though: if vitamin D was not discussed, then how — and why — did the above quote show up in this article? Furthermore, if this was a peer-reviewed article, did no one else spot the inaccuracy that soy milk is not fortified with vitamin D?

It is situations like these that raise red flags when it comes to industry sponsorships.