STRONTIUM$sup 90$ AND MILK: ESTIMATES OF THE DIETARY SIGNIFICANCE OF CHANGES IN MILK CONSUMPTION
Two principal conclusions derived from a survey attempting to assess the role of milk in the diet in the Sr/sup 90/ problem were that owing to discrimination by the cow against Sr/sup 90/ in plant foods in favor of Ca, milk in the United States has contained a lower level of Sr/sup 90/ per unit of Ca than the average nonmilk portion of the diet, and owing to discrimination by the human, the Sr/sup 90/ level that deposits in bone is about 1/4 of the Sr unit (S.U.) level in the total diet and, thus, is dependent on the Ca level as well as the Sr/sup 90/ level in the total diet. A corollary is that even though milk has been the largest contributor of Sr/sup 90/ to the diet from any one food source, its inclusion in the average diet in the United States should reduce the Sr level, and thus, the bone deposition level of Sr/sup 90/ below that which would result from the same average diet, not including milk. Estimates are made to relate the effects of possible changes in milk consumption on the resultant Sr/ sup 90//Ca ratio in the diet. Analysis of the Sr/sup 90/Ca ratios that have been observed in milk and the remainder of the diet indicate that postulated practices, such as the removal of most of the Sr/sup 90/ from milk, might actually increase the bone deposition level of Sr/sup 90/ if accompanied by a significant decrease in milk consumption. To relate the role of milk in the diet, the Sr unit level in the total diet (including milk) to that in milk was compared. Data are included from analyses of the average diet consumed in New York, Chicago, and San Franciso from 1960 to 1962. Results are reported from recent studies that indicate that a 30% drop in milk consumption at a Total Diet/ Miik (TDM) ratio of 1.6 would raise the S.U. unit level in the resultant diet 20%; the complete removal of milk at this TDM ratio would raise the S.U. level 70%. It is concluded that milk, instead of increasing, is effective in decreasing bone levels of Sr/sup 90/. Estimates of the magnitude of this effect indicate that it is large enough to be a serious consideration in any dietary change, which might result from or be related to the Sr/sup 90/ situation, and involves a potentially significant change in milk consumption. It is considered that the present levels of Sr/sup 90/ in foods are not at a level high enough to cause undue public concern, and that removal of Sr/sup 90/ from milk is unwarranted at present. (BBB)
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-011595
- OSTI ID:
- 4107701
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Dairy Science (U.S.), Vol. Vol: 46; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-64
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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