Dutch Lady Milk ... an act of love that builds stronger families
TOMORROW is World Milk Day. It was established in 2001 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to recognise the importance of milk as a global food, and also an important part of a healthy diet.
World Milk Day has since been observed every year on June 1.
Saw Chooi Lee, the managing director of Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd (Dutch Lady Malaysia) said: "As a leader in the dairy industry, Dutch Lady will definitely participate in World Milk Day.
"We believe that milk is very important, and should be featured in our everyday diet.
"As a key player in the Malaysian market, we advocate the importance of having the right nutrition by including milk as part of a healthy diet, and working with several key organisations throughout the year."
Having a glass of milk for breakfast will provide you with all the relevant nutrients to start your day.
Despite how simple it can be, Saw points out that many Malaysians tend to skip breakfast.
She added that while the sale of milk products is going up, statistics show that Malaysian adults only consume 0.4 glasses of milk each week, far lower than the recommended intake of one to three glasses daily.
As for children, according to data from the Southeast Asian Nutrition Survey (Seanuts), one in two children is found to suffer from calcium and vitamin D deficiency.
Saw added: "We did the research study in 2011 [which showed] that 50% of children didn't have enough calcium and vitamin D."
The same study also found that not only are children not consuming enough milk, but they are also not getting enough physical exercise.
One in five children were found to be overweight or obese, with a high proportion of school-aged children reporting low physical activity.
Dutch Lady Malaysia is especially concerned about those studies that showed that one in 10 Malaysian schoolchildren have stunted growth, while 20% are obese.
It is a case of too little and too much.
"As a responsible player in the dairy industry, we just want to cultivate the habit of a healthy diet," said Saw. "If we don't do this, we will lose out as a nation.
"Studies have shown that children who have a proper breakfast that includes milk, perform much better in school."
To this end, Dutch Lady Malaysia has tried to make its products more appealing to children.
For example, last year, Dutch Lady launched a range of Marvel- and Frozen-themed milk packs, which were the ideal size for children aged between one and five years.
Saw said that they have also noticed a trend where children drink milk regularly, but when they become teens, they prefer trendier beverages.
It is only when they are older that they turn back to milk for its nutritional benefits.
"I think it is all about habits. We want to make drinking milk a habit," Saw said.
Asked when is the best time to drink milk, Dutch Lady Malaysia marketing director Ashlee Ng said: "I think that drinking milk in the morning is good.
"After fasting between eight and 12 hours from the night before, drinking milk first thing in the morning will give you an extra boost of energy."
While it is encouraged that children drink full cream milk, adults can opt for the low fat variety.
To celebrate World Milk Day this year, Dutch Lady Malaysia has been conducting several events involving educating schoolchildren and providing them with free milk.
The company is also working with other organisations, including the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, to promote the benefits of drinking milk.
It is also a partner with the Ministry of Health and schools on the Anugerah 3K programme to promote health, hygiene and safety.
Another programme the company is strongly associated with is the Junior NBA programme.
This is where aspiring basketball players are given training by coaches specially brought in by Dutch Lady Malaysia, as well as getting educated about the nutritional benefits of milk.
For more, visit the Dutch Lady Malaysia website.
Dutch Lady ... It's more than milk, it's an act of love that builds stronger families. #DLStrongFamilies @DutchLadyMalaysia
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