National Institutes of Health Conference on Lactose Intolerance

Hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the conference addressed strategies to manage the lactose intolerance as well as outcomes of diets that exclude dairy foods. Panel members came to a consensus that is intended to correct common misperceptions about lactose intolerance, including the belief that dairy foods need to be eliminated from the diet.  Click here to see the full press release.

Lactose Intolerance Rates May Be Lower Than Previously Believed

Prevalence of lactose intolerance may be far lower than previously estimated, according to a study in the latest issue of Nutrition Today.

The study, which uses data from a national sample of three ethnic groups, reveals that the overall prevalence rate of self-reported lactose intolerance is 12 percent – with 7.72 percent of European Americans, 10.05 percent of Hispanic Americans and 19.5 percent of African Americans who consider themselves lactose intolerant.

These new findings indicate that previous estimates of lactose intolerance incidence – based on the incidence of lactose maldigestion – may be overestimated by wide margins. Previous studies have found lactose maldigestion, or low lactase activity in the gut, to occur in approximately 15 percent of European Americans, 50 percent of Mexican Americans and 80 percent of African Americans. The new study shows that lactose intolerance, based on self-reported data, may actually occur far less frequently than presumed.

Since increasing daily consumption of dairy can be an effective strategy for ensuring adequate intake of shortfall nutrients (such as calcium, magnesium and potassium), those who do experience symptoms of lactose intolerance should know there are several practical solutions that can allow for consumption of milk and milk products.

Recommended Solutions for Incorporating Dairy

Several health authorities have addressed ways that those with lactose intolerance can benefit from dairy’s unique nutrient package of nine essential nutrients including calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamin A, identified as “nutrients of concern” by the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Dietary Guidelines encourages people with lactose intolerance to try lower-lactose dairy food options to ensure they get the essential nutrients found in dairy.

In a 2006 report, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends children with lactose intolerance still consume dairy foods to help meet calcium, vitamin D, protein and other nutrient needs essential for bone health and overall growth. The report cautions that lactose intolerance should not require avoidance of dairy foods.

The National Dairy Council has identified some strategies to help people with lactose intolerance enjoy the taste and nutrition of dairy: 

The good news is lactose-free milk is regular milk, just without the lactose.
It provides the same unique package of nine essential nutrients as found in the equivalent form of regular milk (reduced-fat, fat-free etc.)—calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents).

Try drinking small amounts of milk with meals.
Consuming milk with other foods or a meal can make it easier to digest, so try milk on cereal, in smoothies or licuados, and enjoy a glass of milk with lunch or dinner.

Try cooking with milk.
Make oatmeal with milk instead of water and add milk to soups, sauces, casseroles, etc.

Try eating yogurt.
Yogurts that contain live and active cultures can make it easier for the digestive system to digest lactose.

Try aged cheeses.
Aged cheeses like Swiss, Parmesan, Gouda, Colby, Provolone, Cheddar, Edam, Fontina, Gruyere, Muenster and Monterey Jack have very little lactose.

Full study can be found at: http://www.floridamilk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/Nutrition-Today-V445-2009-Nicklas.pdf