Impact of dairy supplementation on bone acquisition in children's limbs: a 12-month cluster-randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis

Arch Osteoporos. 2024 Jul 24;19(1):65. doi: 10.1007/s11657-024-01422-2.

Abstract

The impact of milk on bone health in rural preschoolers is under-researched. This study, through a clinical trial and a meta-analysis, finds that milk supplementation enhances forearm and calcaneus bone acquisition in children, supporting the benefits of daily milk consumption.

Purpose: This study evaluated the impact of dairy supplementation on bone acquisition in children's limbs through a cluster-randomized controlled trial and a meta-analysis.

Methods: The trial involved 315 children (4-6 year) from Northwest China, randomized to receive either 390 ml of milk daily (n = 215) or 20-30 g of bread (n = 100) over 12 months. We primarily assessed bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) changes at the limbs, alongside bone-related biomarkers, measured at baseline, the 6th and 12th months. The meta-analysis aggregated BMD or BMC changes in the forearm/legs/calcaneus from published randomized trials involving children aged 3-18 years supplemented with dairy foods (vs. control group).

Results: Of 278 completed the trial, intention-to-treat analysis revealed significant increases in BMD (4.05% and 7.31%) and BMC (4.69% and 7.34%) in the left forearm at the 6th and 12th months in the milk group compared to controls (P < 0.001). The calcaneus showed notable improvements in BMD (2.01%) and BMC (1.87%) at 6 months but not at 12 months. Additionally, milk supplementation was associated with beneficial changes in bone resorption markers, parathyroid hormone (- 12.70%), insulin-like growth factor 1 (6.69%), and the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio (2.22%) (all P < 0.05). The meta-analysis, encompassing 894 children, indicated that dairy supplementation significantly increased BMD (SMD, 0.629; 95%CI: 0.275, 0.983) and BMC (SMD, 0.616; 95%CI: 0.380, 0.851) (P < 0.05) in the arms, but not in the legs (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Milk supplementation significantly improves bone health in children's forearms, underscoring its potential as a strategic dietary intervention for bone development. Trial registration NCT05074836.

Keywords: Bone health; Bone turnover; Insulin-like growth factor 1; Milk; Preschool children.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Bone Density* / drug effects
  • Bone Development / physiology
  • Calcaneus / diagnostic imaging
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • China
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Female
  • Forearm
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Milk

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT05074836