4.3. Nutritional Factors in Formula Milk and Bone Health
The effect of formula milk powder may be attributed to milk-contained nutrients. A daily dose of the milk contains 720 mg of calcium and 4.5 mg of VD, resulting in an extra intake of 643 mg of calcium and 4.4 μg VD in the milk group compared to the controls with deficient intakes of calcium (196 mg/d) and VD (1.0 μg/d). The remarkable improvement of BMD and BMC in the milk intervention group indicated that the habitual calcium and/or VD intake was much less than their requirements for optimal bone acquisition. It highlighted the importance of adequate milk consumption in young children. In addition, formula milk provides a relatively rich source of high-quality protein and other nutrients (e.g., vitamin K, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, and zinc) that could help improve bone health in children and adolescents [