Consumption of milk, but not other dairy products, is associated with height among US preschool children in NHANES 1999–2002

BACKGROUND: Little is known about how cow's milk consumption affects growth of young children. AIM: The present study evaluated associations between milk consumption and height among preschool-age children in three ethnic groups in the USA. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A sample of 1002 children aged 24-59 months from NHANES 1999-2002 was used. Multivariate regression tested for associations between milk consumption (milk kJ/total kJ from 24 h recall, daily vs less frequent intake over 30 days) and height, controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, birth weight, and energy intake. RESULTS: Children in the highest quartile of milk intake (QIV) were taller (1.1-1.2 cm; p<0.01) than those in QII and QIII but not QI. Total calcium had a positive effect on height (p<0.01), but did not change the height differences among percentiles. Total protein was not associated with height and QIV children were taller (0.9-1.2 cm) than those in all other quartiles. Children who drank milk daily were taller (1.0 cm; p<0.02) than those with less frequent intake. Consumption of other dairy products (other dairy kJ/total kJ) had no association with height. Blacks were taller than Whites and Mexican-Americans; controlling for milk intake did not alter this pattern. CONCLUSION: Milk contributes positively to height among preschool children; this association was not found for non-milk dairy products.