The Journal of the American Dietetic Association recently addressed findings of the Third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA III), which supported previous research indicating children who eat school meals, consume more milk, fruits and vegetables throughout the day than children who do not.

School meal participants also consumed fewer calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and did not experience any negative effects on their body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight to height.

"Child Nutrition: A Focus on Dairy Foods" provides a comprehensive review on the important roles that nutrient-rich dairy foods play in children's diets, bone development and overall health.

The findings of this study further reinforce the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations for adolescents to consume four daily servings of dairy foods.