Cow’s milk
Milk has long been a part of the American diet. It was popularized during the 20th century as a way to help children grow. A 1928 study reported that milk increased the height of children by 20%. However, there are a variety of reasons why milk may not increase your height.
A number of factors can impact your child’s growth, including diet, health, and genetics. If your child is growing too fast or too slowly, talk to your physician. You may need to change your child’s diet or add other health care methods.
One study analyzed 5,000 Canadian children between the ages of two and six. They compared the heights of children who drank non-cow’s milk and cow’s milk. The researchers also analyzed the rest of the child’s diet, as well as the child’s activity level. They found that children who drank cow’s milk were taller than those who drank alternative milks.
Researchers speculate that the proteins in cow’s milk contribute to the child’s height. These proteins include a hormone called insulin-like growth factor (IGF). IGF is important for bone and muscle tissue development. Children who drank cow’s milk had a 0.80 inch height boost per serving. This added up to 1.5 cm in a child’s height over time.
Another study analyzed a large sample of girls. Girls who drank cow’s milk during their prime years – from five to seventeen – grew taller than those who drank alternative “milks.” The researchers examined data from the TARGet Kids! project, which is sponsored by the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation. Study lead author Jonathon Maguire is a pediatrician at the hospital.
In the study, the participants’ height was measured and their weights were measured as well. They were asked about their sex, age, income, ethnicity, and other factors. Participants were then matched to cow’s milk drinkers or non-cow’s milk drinkers.
Aside from the height increase, the kids who drank cow’s milk showed a lower incidence of stunting. They were about 1.9% less likely to be stunted than the other group.
However, the children who drank both types of milk were still shorter than average. The study found that kids who drank non-cow’s and cow’s milk had a 0.2 inch height deficit. That’s just enough to be in the 15th percentile for height.
Non-cow’s milk was a plant-based substitute for cow’s milk, which is considered to be nutritionally equivalent. Soy milk was also included in the study, and the authors found that it had the same effects on height as cow’s milk. Other alternatives included goat’s milk and plant-based milks. Plant-based milks do not stimulate production of insulin-like growth factors, but they are more nutritious than cow’s milk.
Although these studies have shown that cow’s milk and non-cow’s milk have similar effects on height, the researchers found that it’s difficult to accurately determine the exact relationship between milk and growth. It would require a very large sample size to figure out how much milk makes a child grow. Moreover, many other variables – like genetics and socioeconomic status – could also impact the child’s height.
