Milk Promotion Committee: Calcium and Protein Deficiency Among Seniors... Supplementation Possible with "Milk"

[Image provided by Dairy Promotion Committee]

Amid the rapid pace of population aging, nutritional deficiency among the elderly is emerging as a major public health issue. As the focus shifts from simply living longer to “healthy ageing,” nutritional management in later life is becoming a key factor that determines one’s healthy lifespan.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, calcium intake among those aged 65 and older is only about 60 to 70 percent of the recommended amount, with many seniors failing to meet the recommended standards. Recent surveys also continue to confirm insufficient intake of essential nutrients such as energy and protein among the elderly.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also identified nutritional imbalance as a major factor threatening health in old age, emphasizing the importance of adequate protein and calcium intake. Protein deficiency can lead to muscle loss, while insufficient calcium intake is closely linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures, making daily dietary management crucial in these areas.

While nutritional deficiency in the elderly is recognized as a structural problem, the solution may be closer than expected: supplementing lacking nutrients through foods that can be consumed regularly. Milk is considered a practical option from this perspective. Not only does it provide both protein and calcium, but it can also be consumed without special preparation, making it especially practical for seniors with reduced food intake. The lactose in milk is also known to help with calcium absorption, an important characteristic in terms of nutrient utilization.

However, actual consumption levels often fall short of recommendations. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows that milk and dairy product intake among seniors continues to remain below recommended levels. The Korean Nutrition Society recommends that older adults consume at least one serving of dairy (based on 200 mL of milk) per day as part of their daily meal plan.

Domestically produced and distributed fresh milk in Korea is managed at temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius throughout the entire cold chain, providing advantages in terms of freshness and quality. Its stability as an everyday food also makes it well-suited for consistent nutritional management.

Experts emphasize that, as it is difficult for seniors to consume a wide variety of foods in sufficient quantities, it is important to develop dietary habits centered around foods that are both convenient and nutrient-dense. Milk meets these criteria and, when consumed regularly as a snack or meal supplement, can help fill nutritional gaps that easily occur in old age.

Lee Seungho, chairman of the Milk Promotion Committee, stated, “As protein and calcium intake can easily fall short due to reduced food consumption in old age, it is important to manage nutrition using foods that can be conveniently incorporated into daily life. Milk, in this respect, has value as a supplementary food.” He added, “In an aging society, maintaining a healthy lifespan is less about special foods and more about ‘sustainable eating habits,’ and foods like milk—those that can be consumed consistently as part of daily life—can be an excellent starting point.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.