Warning of dangerous dairy-free diets on bones

Image copyright Getty Images Diets which cut out dairy food could be a "ticking time bomb" for young people's bone health, a charity is warning. It said it was concerned many young adults were putting their health at risk by following eating fads. Milk and dairy food, such as cheese and yogurt, are important sources of calcium for strong bones. Cutting out dairy can be healthy if enough calcium is consumed from other sources, such as nuts, seeds and fish. A recent Food Standards Agency survey found that nearly half of 16-24 year olds said they had an intolerance to cow's milk and dairy products, compared to just 8% of over-75s.



This warning from the National Osteoporosis Society is very clear that younger consumers are most at risk of jeopardising their bone health later in life. The move away from traditional dairy products risks leaving millions without enough calcium and could affect consumer's bone health in later life, a UK charity has warned. A survey from the National Osteoporosis Society found that nearly a fifth of consumers aged under 25 had sought to reduce the amount of dairy in their diets. It's also possible that social media influencers have had a part to play, with the society warning that young consumers are prone to latching on to unhealthy dietary fads. For those who struggle with regular dairy, they may benefit from a switch to natural cows' milk that contains only the A2 protein.

Dairy-free diets 'a ticking time bomb' for bone health

Young dieters who combine 'clean eating' regimes with a dairy-free diet have been warned they risk developing osteoporosis in later life. Fuelled by social media, the clean eating trend has surged in popularity in recent years, with some advocates achieving celebrity status with hundreds of thousands of followers. Charity adviser Professor Susan Lanham-New told BBC Radio 4's Today programe: "It really is a ticking time bomb. View photos Dairy-free diets combined with clean eating could bring about osteoporosis (Wikipedia) MoreDairy-free diets have also been adopted by celebrities including Megan Fox and Victoria Beckham, while food writers Deliciously Ella and the Hemsley sisters also advise cutting out dairy. However the charity warned that restrictive diets among younger generations will lead to widespread health issues in later life, including osteoporosis which causes bones to become brittle and break.


collected by :Lucy William