“Adequate nutrition is important at all ages, but it is especially important during childhood for optimal physical and cognitive development, as well as for establishing a strong foundation for healthy eating practices that can be applied throughout life,” said Dr. Hassan Vatanparast (MD , PhD), principal investigator of the study and a professor in the USask College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and School of Public Health. According to Vatanparast, dairy products contain significant amounts of nutrients—such as calcium, vitamin D, and high-quality protein—that contribute to optimal health. “While we know that these nutrients are required for healthy growth and development in children, we do not know the specific contribution of dairy foods to the growth and cognitive development of Canadian children,” said Vatanparast. “We also do not know Canadian children’s knowledge and attitudes about healthy eating, particularly dairy consumption, and any facilitators or barriers to dairy consumption.” Using a novel mixed-methods longitudinal study design, the team will assess multiple factors including: measuring physical growth and cognitive development; assessment of bone density and content, body composition and growth biomarkers; monitoring of cognitive development; and collecting additional information on physical activity, diet, and various sociodemographic factors every six months during the study period. Families who choose to participate in this study will receive comprehensive health information about their child’s growth and development, as well as an invoice. For more information about the study, contact: Zoe Bye or Mojtaba Shafiee at [email protected] or [email protected] or 306-229-9563.
