Don't know how many have heard this weird news (and only in California
would such a lawsuit go forth - sigh). The details I don't have, but the
gist of it is: an elderly gentleman (in his 80s) claims his strokes have
been a result of his lifetime addiction to milk and wants to sue the
dairy industry as people have sued the tobacco industry. He claims
addiction to milk since childhood and the saturated fats are the cause
of his arterial disease which led to the strokes. He wants a surgeon
general's statement posted on dairy products regarding their harm (plus
money).

I heard it mentioned by both Dr. Dean Adell and Dr. Laura on their radio
shows the same day (Fri, June 6), so it has had widespread coverage at
least through these two shows. Now, both of them poked at the frivoulous
nature of this, how this can't even be defined as an addiction
medically, etc, but Dr. Adell mentioned things which are bound to go out
of context. I mention all this because I think we need to be on the
alert to how this story gets picked up, and be ready and *quick* to
respond with appropriate education locally.

This is what Dr. Adell said (near-verbatim quote) "I would say that
dairy products are FAR more dangerous than cigarettes" but *went on* to
discuss WHY - when full-fat dairy products are chosen after childhood,
there are problems. He did continue that the gentleman had a choice to
choose low-fat or non-fat, his body never went into withdrawal or
experience symptoms of toxicity, as well as what were his levels of
exercise and many other controllable contributing factors to decrease
his risk of stroke. Not to mention genetics.

My concern is that parents are going to hear the out-of-context tidbits,
not evaluate it properly, and suddenly remove their under-2 from whole
milk, and I can see ABM-moms suddenly dropping even formula in favor of
sodas and juice drinks for their under-1 year-olds. I see this anyway
*without* this kind of story. I may be in a worry-mode (finals are in 4
days), but I can even see some struggling bfing moms weaning because
"milk is so dangerous."

This is a great opportunity with a natural news interest right now to
educate the public at large about the protective nature of breastmilk
lipids, etc. This is a "window of opportunity" where the press will
generally run related stories, even if the hook is weird and laughable.
We can turn it into something good maybe.

Evidentally this gent didn't breastfeed, and seems to have had a
traumatic weaning if he did! (I'm glad he didn't implicate the
high-choloesterol nature of breastmilk in his lawsuit...)

Katharine West, BSN, MPH
Sherman Oaks, CA