Dairy and Obesity...Is There A Link...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
October 2, 2008 11:01am CST
We all know that most milk comes from milk cows and theres been reports that some cows are given growth hormones in order to get them to not only grow larger, to produce more meat, but also to get them to give more milk. Now for the most part they say it’s perfectly safe and ppl don’t need to worry about it.
But I got to thinking about the obesity problem in this country. I also started thinking about how obesity is hitting children as well. I’m wondering if some of the obesity problem can’t be caused by consuming milk that has growth hormone residue in it. After all, if the cow is given the hormone, it stands to reason that it would be passed through to the milk. BTW, here's what Wiki has to say about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovine_somatotropin
Do you think the two could be connected? Do you think that the government would warn the ppl about the hazard even if they knew and risk the beef and milk industry? Would it cause you to stop buying beef and milk if it came out that there was a distinct connection in the two?
[b]**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~[/b]
4 people like this
29 responses
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
2 Oct 08
I think the possibility is always there. However, I do see a lot of it being in the genes. You notice that in a lot families that if the mother or father is heavy so are some of the children. Thus, I think genes have a lot to do with it. Yet, I do not think it is everything. Milk could be included with a lot of junk out there.
2 people like this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
2 Oct 08
There is no doubt in my mind the two are related. Also doesn't help that a lot of obese people are poor and don't' get healthy. I bet the drink a lot of sodium and hormone laced milk because they are not educated on the adverse health effects.
I don't know why the USDA touts milks as healthy. It is one of the worse things you can consume!
2 people like this
@nannacroc (4049)
•
2 Oct 08
There could be a possibility of this but I doubt it. Obesity is caused by eating too much of the wrong foods and not excercising. Many obese people would argue with that but that is a fact. A balanced diet and reasonable excercise will prevent obesity.
@MH4444 (2161)
• United States
2 Oct 08
Milk is the only thing Americans have going for them that other countries seem to not have. Not every country I know; but I have traveled to other countries and their seemed to be a gross lack of real milk in the cities. I love milk and think it's good for you.
The problem with American kids is the fact that they don't get out and play like we did as kids. (I sound like a an old lady sheesh 
) But, it's true that kids need to get out and get physical more.
Oversize portions are the blame to adults.
Bad lifestyles as well.
) But, it's true that kids need to get out and get physical more.
Oversize portions are the blame to adults.
Bad lifestyles as well.@nannacroc (4049)
•
2 Oct 08
Well said. We have nice milk in England I have drunk loads of milk since I was a child and am not obese.
@nova1945 (1612)
• United States
2 Oct 08
To the best of my knowledge, dairy cows are not used for meat. Beef comes from other kinds of cows. Hopefully the FDA would let us know if there was such a problem with the milk, so I don't think that this would be a concern in this country. But one never knows for sure nowadays since the dairy association is so politically connected with lobbyists around every corner.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157462)
• United States
2 Oct 08
I shop at a regional dairy store that certifies no hormones in its milk, and dairy products.It is not a big deal to me, though. I purchased raw milk for my family most of the time they were growing up, and there were no growth hormones there either. I guess that may be part of their natural skinnyness. It makes sense to me that that could account for some of the extreme overweight. Many kids do not drink milk much anymore, just pop and instant powdered drinks.Even the sugar free of those have been linked to an increased craving for carbs and weight gain. We need the opportunity to eat more truly natural foods.
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
2 Oct 08
H[i]i twoey,
If ever they are related, that will not stop me to buy milk and beef..I believed that obesity is hereditary plus if we will only observed our limitations, they nothing to worry about![/i]
1 person likes this
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
2 Oct 08
I absolutely think that the two are linked in some way. My neice is 5 yrs old and since she was a baby the only thing she would drink it milk. No juice, no water, only milk. And she drinks alot of it. She now is 5 and weighs 90 pounds. The doctor told my sister that the only thing he sees wrong in her diet is the amount of milk that she is drinking every day.
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
2 Oct 08
I think the government should warn people about 99% of the poisons they are consuming, legally, but they won't..Too many companies with a lot of money try to keep their dirty little secrets from being exposed and it isn't until someone like you, exposes them to the public..If you really want to know what is good and what isn't, Find someone who is in the health department and see what they buy and use for their family, you would be greatly surprised that most of the things they approve of for the public, they won't use themselves...
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
2 Oct 08
I guess that anything is possible, but I would have thought that they would have made sure it would have no effects on humans before they used it on animals.
I do not drink milk, I have never really liked it much, my boys do not drink it either. My two year old daughter on the other hand loves the stuff and seems to drink loads of it. She does not have a weight problem and is the right weight for her age and height. So I do not know if the two are connected but I guess it would have a negative effect on the beef and milk industry if it came out that the two were linked.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
2 Oct 08
hi twoey I dont think for one minute that milk is the cause of
obesity. not exercising enough and having way way too much fats in your diet is what causes us americans to get fat. And a lot of us just plain eat way too much food. One percent milk that is certified to have no growth hormones is an excellent source of calcium and phosphorous and should not be cut out of ones diet at all. we tend to get on a b andwagon against one particular food and just go no matter whether the information is correct or not. Its much wiser to eat a balanced diet and get more exercise, and just plain do not eat so much, cut back on calories and be healthier.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
2 Oct 08
There's always the possiblity.. but I believe the obesity problem has more to do with kids (and adults) over indulging on junk food and not getting enough excersize. Kids today are too consumed with TV and video games and don't get enough outdoor time. When I was a kid I was outdoors all day everyday. If I went to a friend's house we played make believe with toys and whatever else... now kids go to friends houses and play video games.
1 person likes this
@onesiobhan (1327)
• Canada
12 Oct 08
It's possible. I read recently that kids are now going through puberty at the age of seven - that's a recent development. (if you will pardon the pun) I wouldn't be surprised if it's due to all the hormones and additives in the food and the milk.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
12 Oct 08
I live in Canada and the additive they are writing about is not allowed. I do think if you put a hormone in milk, it is very dangerous. Come to think of it it might have an effect on someone a year or months later. Who knows? We were on an Alaskan trip and we went through the states and maybe the milk I put in my coffee or my cereal is now wreaking havoc on me now. Maybe it is not the milk, cheese, butter, or meat I ate in my lifetime.
Maybe it took only a week or so for the damage to start.
@KarenO52 (2950)
• United States
12 Oct 08
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if people were getting fatter from drinking milk with the growth hormone in it. I heard about something a few years ago, that in Puerto Rico,where chicken is a very popular food, young girls were maturing much faster than normal due to consuming chickens that had been treated with hormones to get them to grow faster.
@glords (2614)
• United States
12 Oct 08
This sounds familiar. I think I've heard of this theory before. I think it stands to reason as well, but I find it really interesting that many popular diet plans include the consumption of milk. For example weight watchers suggests that you drink two glasses a day. I think perhaps the hormone is having a negative effect on society, but I think the health benefits probably outweighs the negative effects.
@PrarieStyle (2486)
• United States
10 Oct 08
Wow, I never thought about it but it sure makes sense. They also pump things in chicken to make them grow faster, bigger and stay more tender.
That may explain why I have never had much of a weight problem, I don't eat much meat. And I don't drink as much milk as I should.
@RenoMan (90)
• Togo
12 Oct 08
I grew up on a dairy farm. Dairy cows are a separate group from beef cattle. Dairy cows are never given growth hormones in this country so no need to worry on that score. I also know a lot of beef cattle ranchers and none of them use growth hormones for their cows either. Maybe Canada is just more organic than your country, but regardless I really don't see a relationship of any kind between dairy and growth hormones in cows. But I'm old and fat and don't really care anyway.:)
