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Expert Q&A:
Why do children have to drink whole milk until 2 years of age?

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Answered by Suzanne Dixon MD, MPH

"I love this job!" says Suzanne Dixon. "I believe I can bring the best of information to families by the thousands every day. I'm not shy about tapping my colleagues and friends all around the country so that we can get the latest, best, and most sensible advice on every issue."

Suzanne Dixon, MD, MPH, was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota, School of Medicine. She did her paediatric training at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and then completed a fellowship in Child Development at Boston's Children's Hospital. Dr Dixon joined the faculty at the University of California, San Diego, and did patient care, teaching, and research for 20 years. She ran a large newborn service, performed research in early child development, and was involved in many community outreach activities in maternal child health. Throughout her entire professional life she has maintained an interest in cross-cultural activities, living and working in many parts of the world, including Mexico, India, Kenya, Indonesia, and several countries from the former USSR.

Dr. Dixon is the author of numerous research articles, review articles, and textbook chapters in paediatrics, child and family development, and public health. Her textbook, written with Dr. Martin Stein, Encounters With Children: Pediatric Behavior and Development, has become a classic in child health education andis just coming out in its third edition. She has served as an associate editor for Infant Mental Health and currently reviews for several major paediatric journals.

Dr Dixon is a fellow of the American Academy of Paediatrics and served in national positions in that organization. She is a member of the Society for Paediatric Research, the Society for Research in Child Development, the American Public Health Association, and the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Paediatrics.

Dr. Dixon continues to lecture and consult worldwide on aspects of maternal, child, and family health. She practices behavioral and developmental paediatrics in Montana and works with local advocacy groups on education and women's health. Dr Dixon has been married for 25 years and has three sons. She and her husband travel frequently and enjoy being amateur anthropologists.

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Question


I have a 14-month-old daughter. I want to know why children should be on whole milk until 2 years old when the only difference is the amount of fat.

Answer


You've got the answer right there: little children need the extra fat. It's necessary not only for general growth but also for the fatty acids that are so critical for brain development in the early years of life. Human milk has the highest cholesterol content of any milk in the animal kingdom because humans have the largest brains and the most immature brains at birth. Alternative milks given to human infants also need to be relatively high in fat, too. Infants and toddlers under 2 should have half of their calories in fat, not the 20 per cent to 30 per cent recommended for older children and adults. Milk is an important source of the fat calories that support hair and skin health and the absorption of certain vitamins, too. Keep her on whole milk for at least the next 10 months and longer if directed by her GP.
 
 
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