LETTER

Ontario study of dairies & milk

 

The lead experimenter behind the recent study about children's growth and cow's milk has received $90,000 from the Dairy Farmers of Canada and an undisclosed amount from the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Danone Institute, the Canadian Dairy Network, and the Canadian Dairy Commission in recent years, and at least until 2016, he sat on the Dairy Farmers of Canada Expert Scientific Advisory Committee. He neglected to disclose this information on the conflict of interest declaration before his research was published.

Among the points he neglected to mention: Cow's milk contains a growth hormone that can make kids grow more at the rate of a calf than a human child—and one that has been linked to the development of cancer.

Cow's milk isn't healthy for humans—it contains saturated fat and cholesterol and it has also been linked to juvenile diabetes, asthma, and other health problems. Dr Michael Klaper, the former director of the Institute of Nutrition Education and Research, says, "The purpose of cow's milk is to turn a 65-pound calf into a 700-pound cow as rapidly as possible ... It's great stuff if you are a baby calf, but if you are a human trying to create a lean, healthy body, it will NOT 'do a body good'."

Dairy-free milks are a healthy and humane option.

Dr Frances Cheng
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Norfolk, VA