Mooo: Incidence of Milk Consumption by Children in Fast Food Restaurants University of Idaho

1
Mooo Incidence of Milk Consumption by
Children in Fast Food RestaurantsUniversity of
Idaho

• Sharon Stoll PhD
• Jennifer Beller PhD
• Chelsea Hermon
• Brandon Freitas
• Julie Matthews
• Patrick Casey McLaughlin

Results Results indicate children do not consume
milk at fast food restaurants and some in 2-5
year old girls, consuming an 8 ounce can of
carbonated soda decreases the likelihood of
achieving the RDA of calcium levels by 40 and
that substituting 8 ounces of soda for 8 ounces
of milk can increase the likelihood of NOT
achieving calcium levels by 296. It would
appear that either parents are uneducated about
the problem of calcium and the ingestion of milk
at fast food restaurants or are ignoring the
concerns about calcium uptake in their children.
Abstract Increased carbonated soda consumption
and decreased milk intake in children is a
serious national nutritional problem. The
purpose of this descriptive study on child health
is to observe and describe dietary beverage
consumption of children at fast food restaurants.
A group of researchers surveyed the incidence of
milk consumption by children at national food
chains. Two separate studies were completed, in
order to better address the growing problem of a
lack of milk consumption in young children. Once
specific problem areas are located, steps can be
taken to remedy the situations.
The Study The purpose of this descriptive and
ethical study on child health was to observe and
describe dietary beverage consumption of children
at fast food restaurants. Given the several
studies that indicate the importance of milk in a
childs diet, and that substituting a carbonated
drink for milk can have a negative impact on the
calcium intake, we wanted to observe how often
milk was chosen above a carbonated drink. If the
results indicated that milk was being consumed
infrequently, the next step would be to work with
restaurants to try to market milk more
effectively. Our Observations Study One Over
a six week time frame, we observed three
different fast food restaurants, in one hour
increments. We observed 122 children during peak
meal times, primarily on Saturday afternoons.
The study was done anonymously, with the number
of milk cartons on the childrens trays being
tallied. Also noted was how many purchased
carbonated beverages. Our results found that
only five children, or 4.1 percent, chose milk,
while 117 of the 122 chose a carbonated drink.
This leads us to the conclusion that milk is
rarely being consumed at fast food restaurants.
Study Two In the first part of the second
study, customers in three northwest cities were
observed to determine what kinds of drinks were
being purchased at fast food restaurants. Of the
451 individuals observed, only 12, or 2 percent,
purchased milk for their child, while 410
purchased a carbonated drink, 20 bought coffee,
and nine bought water. Again, these results lead
us to the conclusion that milk isnt being
consumed at fast food restaurants. In the
second part of the study, fifty parents were
randomly selected to answer a 12 question survey
regarding their childs beverage consumption.
Forty six of the fifty answered that they let
their child choose their own drink at
restaurants, while four chose for them. Fifteen
told us that their child drink 1-2 glasses of
whole milk per day, but 35 stated that their
children seldom drank any kind of milk. Results
show that children are not only not drinking milk
at restaurants, they are not drinking it at home
either.

• Reasons that Milk Consumption is Important in
  Children
• Milk contains a high concentration of calcium
• Calcium is a required building block for
  healthy skeletons
• Calcium is also required in body fluids
• Reduced calcium intake in youth can lead to a
  sharp rise in the possibility of osteoporosis
• Milk also contains many essential vitamins and
  minerals

Statement of the Problem If the purpose of
physical education is to develop and enhance the
physical well being through activity and
instruction, then we have an obligation to teach
how nutrition effects those processes of the
body. It is important for children to consume
milk, and we wanted to collect data to see the
rate of consumption at fast food restaurants.
Studies also show that drinking carbonated
beverages is correlated with not having enough
calcium in the body. To observe the beverages
being chosen at fast food restaurants might give
us, as educators, information that we can use to
not only better the health of our students, but
of our general community. By working with
restaurants, we can raise awareness to the issue
of milk consumption in children. The overall
purpose of this study is to determine how often
milk is being consumed at fast food restaurants,
and to try to come up with ways to make milk
consumption more frequent.
Center for ETHICS