Price of milk too much for many families, study finds

Only 38 per cent of children drink milk daily. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Price increases for milk and other dairy products are having a detrimental effect on children's health, University of Otago researchers say.

The Wellington-based team found that since February 2007, soft-drink prices had remained steady but milk had risen from $2.64 for a two-litre container to $3.21 last month.

"It means that milk, a basic nutritional product, fundamental to children's health, is often outside the reach of low-income families," said Moira Smith, of the university's department of public health.

Researchers blamed moves by successive governments for the price increase.

These included removal of Government subsidies and control of the milk industry, ending price control, application of GST on food and linking retail prices to international commodity prices.

Only 38 per cent of children drank milk daily, 34 per cent weekly and 17 per cent did not drink it at all, the study found.

"Half a century ago governments supported the right of every child to cheap milk at home," Ms Smith said.

"Now this has been removed and serious health inequities have developed in New Zealand, particularly among lower socio-economic groups and Maori and Pacific people."

The people who were least likely to drink milk, were also the highest consumers of unhealthy fizzy drinks, which were cheaper and more heavily advertised.

The research team said the Government should consider taking action to make milk more readily available by:

* Introducing price control or subsidies and not relying on an uncompetitive domestic market to constrain prices.

* Offering assistance to low-income families to ensure they can afford to buy healthy food.

* Including milk as part of a "Breakfast in Schools" programme in lower-decile schools.

* Reducing or eliminating GST on health food choices.

"The issue of good nutrition needs to be taken much more seriously as one of the key determinants of health," Dr Louise Signal, also of the public health department, said.

"New Zealand's emphasis on trade and globalisation is now dictating the health of our children through the high cost of milk and milk products."

- NZPA