April 16/Hospital Business Week -- "Dietary survey data show that intake of sugar-sweetened beverages is negatively associated with intake of milk, but these findings have yet to be confirmed by laboratory feeding studies. The objectives of the present study were to analyze children's intake across two laboratory-based ad libitum lunches to (a) investigate the relationships between intake of sweetened beverages, milk and calcium, and (b) explore relationships between beverage consumption and child age and weight status," U.S. scientists report.
"Data were extracted from a cohort of 126 three- to seven-year-old twins from diverse ethnic backgrounds who participated in a cross-sectional study (conducted from November 1999 to September 2002) designed to determine the genetic and environmental contributions to eating and body weight. At two visits, children ate ad libitum from lunches that offered a variety of sugar-sweetened and calcium-rich beverages. Total beverage and nutrient intakes were computed from the test meals. Weight, height and waist circumference were assessed on the final visit. Regression analyses tested the associations among intake of sweetened beverages, calcium and milk (primary aim), and whether these variables were associated with child age and weight status (secondary aim).