Recent research published in Current Developments in Nutrition highlights a significant opportunity to improve the nutritional status of school-aged children in Pakistan’s Sindh and Punjab provinces through enhanced dairy consumption. The study, led by Myriam C Afeiche from the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, identifies that despite a high daily consumption of dairy products among children—89% of them consume dairy daily—only a small fraction meet the recommended intake of two to three servings per day. This gap in consumption is particularly concerning given that over 80% of children aged 5 to 9 are not meeting recommended levels for essential nutrients such as calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.
The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis involving dietary data from 5,842 children, utilizing a 24-hour diet recall method. They modeled two scenarios: one where current milk consumption was substituted with fortified milk and another where fortified milk or buffalo milk was added to existing consumption. The findings were striking; the substitution of regular milk with fortified options could drastically reduce nutrient inadequacies. Specifically, it could lower vitamin C inadequacies by 86% and vitamin A inadequacies by 45%, among other improvements.
“The hypothetical substitution of current milk consumption with fortified milk lowered nutrient inadequacies,” Afeiche noted, emphasizing the potential for fortified dairy products to fill critical nutritional gaps. Furthermore, for children consuming less than two servings of dairy per day, the addition of buffalo milk could enhance their intake of calcium, zinc, and several vitamins, including vitamin C and riboflavin.
This research underscores a crucial intersection between nutrition and the energy sector. As the demand for fortified dairy products grows, there is an opportunity for energy companies to invest in sustainable dairy production systems that support local farmers and improve food security. The integration of fortified milk into the diets of children not only addresses nutritional inadequacies but also aligns with broader public health strategies that promote dietary diversity and food security.
In light of these findings, stakeholders in the energy sector could explore partnerships with dairy producers to enhance the availability of fortified milk, thus contributing to the health of future generations while also tapping into a growing market. Afeiche’s research provides a clear pathway: increasing the consumption of fortified and buffalo milk can be a vital part of a multi-faceted approach to tackling nutrient inadequacies in Pakistani children, ultimately benefiting both public health and the economy.
