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Results of nonpartisan milk research show conflicting data on milk's effect on cancer, heart disease, weight loss, diabetes, children's development, and other health issues.
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 1, 2007 -- Milk remains one of the most popular beverages in the United States despite the publication of numerous peer-reviewed studies contesting its claims to good health.
Researchers at ProCon.org culled information from over 100 sources to create an in-depth and nonpartisan exploration of the primary question "Is drinking milk healthy for humans?"
The results of this research are available at www.milkprocon.org - the 10th website launched by ProCon.org.
The website poses 44 specific questions in topics ranging from heart disease and diabetes to calcium and vitamin D to milk in schools and milk advertising. Each question has corresponding pro and con statements from individuals and organizations with clear and relevant opinions on that specific topic. Each one of those sources has a corresponding biography so that readers can explore the background, affiliations, education, and other pertinent information about each source.
Sources referenced by ProCon.org include:
- research physicians from various universities such as Harvard University's School of Public Health and the University of California San Francisco Children's Hospital,
- representatives of the International Dairy Foods Association, National Dairy Council, and various state dairy councils,
- elected officials and government organizations such as the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
- professors, nutritionists, scientists, special interest groups, journalists, and many others.
Some of the interesting facts highlighted on the website include:
- Over 51% of North Americans with non-European ancestry are lactose intolerant (as of 2003).
- Milk accounted for $27 billion in sales in 2005 making it the second largest agricultural commodity industry in the United States.
- One fast-food taco has twice the calcium of a cup of low fat milk according to a 2005 USDA report (although milk has twice the calcium of a cheeseburger).
Managing Editor of ProCon.org, Kamy Akhavan, commented:
"After reading about some peer-reviewed studies that challenged the health benefits of milk, we saw the milk industry defending its product, activist groups going to great lengths to criticize milk, and few people understanding what those complicated scientific studies really said.
We drink more milk than almost any other beverage. Is it healthy? We're not suggesting that anyone stop drinking milk or start drinking more milk.
We want our readers to better understand the health implications of consuming milk so we invested hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars to explore the issue and present our findings in a simple nonpartisan pro-con format."
For more information visit www.milkprocon.org or contact the Managing Editor.
About ProCon.org
ProCon.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that has no government affiliations of any kind.
ProCon.org's purpose is educational, and it does not express opinions on its research projects. Instead, ProCon.org researches issues that are complicated and important and works to present them in a balanced, comprehensive and straight forward pro-con format.
The organization formed in 2004, and has since brought its unique pro-con perspective to a variety of controversial issues including medical marijuana, the Iraq war, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, electronic voting machines, the ACLU, the origins of sexual orientation, the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, and others.
For more about ProCon.org visit: About ProCon.org
For further information, please contact:
Kamy Akhavan
Managing Editor, ProCon.org
233 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 200
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: 310-587-1407
[kamy (at) procon.org
www.ProCon.org
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