Cows milk is linked to diabetes.
A study of children in 40 countries found that the incidence of juvenile diabetes was directly related to diet: The higher the consumption of cows milk and other animal products, the greater the chance of developing diabetes. Conversely, children who consumed a largely vegetarian diet had a much lower incidence of diabetes.
The American Journal of Nutrition
Muntoni et al., 71 (2000),1525-9
A study of more than 800 children found that feeding infants cows milk formula is "associated with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes ..."
Diabetes Care
Hypponen et al., December 1999
In another study of 800 children, researchers found that the "introduction to cows milk products before age 8 is a risk factor" for juvenile diabetes and that breast-feeding babies for more than the first week after birth protected infants from developing diabetes.
Diabetes Care
Gimeno et al., August 1997
In 1994, the American Academy of Pediatrics convened a panel to examine the issue, concluding that exposure to cows milk protein may indeed be an important factor in the development of diabetes. Based on the more than 90 studies that had addressed the issue, the academy reported that avoiding cows milk exposure might delay or prevent the disease in susceptible individuals.
Pediatrics
American Academy of Pediatrics Work Group on Cows Milk Protein and Diabetes Mellitus, 1994
"The avoidance of cows milk protein for the first several months of life may reduce the later development of IDDM (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) in susceptible individuals.
In families with a strong history of IDDM, particularly if a sibling has diabetes, breast-feeding and avoidance of commercially available cows milk and products containing intact cows milk protein during the first year of life are strongly encouraged."
Pediatrics
American Academy of Pediatrics, November 1994
"The National Dairy Boards slogan, Milk. It does a body good, sounds a little hollow these days
[because of] evidence that early exposure to a protein in cows milk may sometimes lead to juvenile diabetes."
Scientific American
October 1992
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