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Lactose, or milk sugar, is the primary carbohydrate in milk. Since milk is an important source of the calcium and other essential nutrients every child needs for growth, Child nutrition professionals should work with children diagnosed with lactose intolerance and their parents to implement strategies to improve their tolerance of dairy foods or to find alternative sources of calcium when necessary.
Lactose intolerance is the body's inability to produce enough of the enzyme lactase needed to break down lactose so that it may be absorbed in the intestinal tract. Lactase is produced in the small intestine. Infants have an abundant supply of lactase. However, in some people, lactase levels decline as they age. This decline in lactase is called lactase non-persistence. Not everyone who has declining levels of lactase has lactose intolerance symptoms. Whether or not a person has symptoms depends on the level of lactase enzyme present and the amount of lactose consumed. If the levels of lactase are not sufficient for the amount of lactose consumed, the undigested lactose travels to the colon where intestinal bacteria feed on the undigested lactose-producing gas and the gastrointestinal symptoms associated with lactose intolerance.
Studies have shown that most people who have low levels of lactase can consume one cup of milk with a meal, or up to two cups of milk per day, without experiencing symptoms of lactose intolerance. In fact, drinking some milk on a daily basis, even if it is a small amount, may improve tolerance to lactose. Cheese is usually tolerated because it contains little or no lactose. Only a small amount of lactose is present in the milk curd used for making cheese. Aged cheeses are made with bacteria or molds that further decrease the lactose level during the ripening process. Examples of aged cheeses are Parmesan, cheddar, gouda, and Monterey Jack.
Yogurt may also be well tolerated, especially if it contains live and active cultures. Yogurt cultures digest lactose within the gastrointestinal tract after it is eaten. If milk solids are listed on the label, then the yogurt will contain additional lactose.
Lactose-reduced milk may also be an option. Children may like the slightly sweeter taste. Calcium-fortified orange juice and soy beverages are other sources of calcium, but these foods do not have the same nutrients as dairy foods. Soy beverages are fortified with calcium. Generally, the calcium in fortified soy beverages is absorbed 25% less efficiently than it is from milk.
Children diagnosed with lactose intolerance should be encouraged to eat cheese, yogurt, and small amounts of milk with meals as tolerated and as allowed by the diet prescription from the physician.
Lactose intolerance and a milk allergy are not the same. Symptoms of lactose intolerance are limited to the stomach and intestines, while symptoms of a milk allergy involve the immune system.
Lactose intolerance tends to develop later in childhood or in adolescence and will not be outgrown. Lactose is found primarily in milk or other dairy products. The lactose contained in other foods is usually present in small enough amounts to not cause symptoms. Therefore, checking labels on other foods is rarely necessary in the management of lactose intolerance.
With a milk allergy, the immune system reacts inappropriately to the protein in milk, whereas, with lactose intolerance, the body is unable to completely digest the lactose, or milk sugar. Most milk allergy begins in infancy and is outgrown by 3-4 years of age. Children who are allergic to cow's milk may or may not be allergic to soy beverages. A child with a true milk allergy must eliminate all dairy foods from the diet, since they all contain some dairy protein. Eliminating dairy foods increases the possibility that the allergy will be outgrown. Child nutrition professionals should check all food labels if a child in their care has a milk allergy.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance:
- Gas
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
Symptoms of milk allergy:
- Itchy, red rash
- Eczema
- Hives
- Swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, face, or throat
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Gas
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Wheezing
Talk with the child and the parents to learn what milk products and how much of these products are tolerated and what other sources of calcium are being consumed at home. Document this information to help staff remember what a child may and may not be served - especially since it may vary from one child to another. Keep all diet prescriptions on file along with all other diet-related documentation. Be sure that your staff, including new staff, is kept informed.
The calcium and lactose contained in foods and beverages may vary slightly with the brand and fat content of the milk.
The following table is a good general guide.
Adapted from Manual of Clinical Dietetics. 6th ed. American Dietetic Association, 2000; and Soy Dairy Alternatives. Retrieved January 30, 2004, from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/
Dobler, M. L. (2003). Lactose intolerance nutrition guide. Chicago: American Dietetic Association. McBean, L. D., & Miller, G. D. (1998). Allaying fears and fallacies about lactose intolerance. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 98, 671-676. National Dairy Council (1998). Lowdown on lactose intolerance: Making the most of milk. Retrieved January 7, 2004, from http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/nutrition/lactose/lowdownLactose.pdf Zukin J. The newsletter for people with lactose intolerance and milk allergy. Commercial Writing Service, P. O. Box 3074, Iowa City, Iowa 52244. American Academy of Pediatrics 141 Northwest Point Boulevard Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098 http://www.aap.org/ American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 85 West Algonquin Road, Suite 550 Arlington Heights, IL 60005 http://allergy.mcg.edu/home.html American Dietetic Association 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000 Chicago, IL 60606-6995 http://www.eatright.org Food and Nutrition Information Center Agricultural Research Service, USDA National Agricultural Library, Room 105 10301 Baltimore Avenue Beltsville, MD 20705-2351 http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/ The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network 11781 Lee Jackson Highway, Suite 160 Fairfax, VA 22033-3309 http://www.foodallergy.org/ National Dairy Council 10255 West Higgins Road, Suite 900 Rosemont, IL 60018 http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/ National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse 2 Information Way Bethesda, MD 20892-3570 http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/index.htm USDA Food and Nutrition Service 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 926 Alexandria, Virginia 22302 http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/ Written by Ensley Howell, M.S., R.D. Page created 3/22/04 NFSMI home Contact NFSMI Webmaster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||