Comparison of ultra-high temperature milk and skim milk consumption behaviors among elementary school-aged students in one region of South Carolina: procedures and outcomes.

A measure of milk consumption behavior was needed after a school district introduced flavored, ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk to increase dietary calcium, and optimize food storage and inventory. The objective of the present study was to compare milk consumption behavior of fluid skim and UHT milk among elementary school-aged children in one region of South Carolina. The milk consumption study was conducted at four geographically distributed elementary schools. Milk cartons were collected from students as they disposed of waste during the scheduled lunch period. Each retrieved milk carton was weighed using a digital scale (Brand name A&D, model EK-1200-G), which was calibrated by researchers prior to each of the four weighing sessions. Calibration was completed per operating manual. Consumption data for collected milk containers (N = 1,032) were calculated by subtracting the weight of the waste from the weight of a full carton. Milk waste, milk consumption and preferences for flavored UHT milk or plain skim milk were recorded for each school and results aggregated for all schools participating in the study. Findings revealed that flavored, UHT milk was selected more frequently (n = 819, 79.4%) than skim milk (n = 213, 20.6%) in the four schools. Milk waste for flavored and skim milk was similar for all four schools. Skim milk waste ranged between 40.0% and 47.0% while UHT milk waste ranged between 37.0% and 48.0%. Additional research is needed to determine what, if any, variations in milk consumption behavior occur among South Carolina students from other regions and in other age groups who are offered UHT and skim milk alternatives. Fluid milk consumption offers one of the best sources of calcium intake. Factors that increase or decrease fluid milk consumption can greatly impact a student's daily intake of calcium.