“키만 크는 줄 알았지?”…청소년기 우유 섭취, 두뇌·인지 발달도 쑥쑥 [건강한겨레]

On August 12, World Youth Day was celebrated, marking a time when growth and cognitive development in young people are at their peak. During adolescence, both physical growth and the development of the brain and cognitive functions are highly active. This emphasizes the importance of consuming sufficient nutrients during this period.

Recently, research has revealed that milk can provide essential nutrients for growth while also having positive effects on cognitive performance. In a study conducted by a team from the University of Toronto in Canada and published in the academic journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, the impact of milk and other dairy product consumption on cognitive tasks was examined in 54 children aged 9 to 14 years.

The researchers compared the cognitive performance of the children who consumed dairy products with those who skipped snacks. The results showed that when the children consumed milk, they performed relatively better in tasks evaluating spatial working memory. Spatial working memory, which involves temporarily storing and utilizing information about location or order, is crucial for various cognitive activities such as learning and problem-solving.

This study stands out from previous perceptions of milk as merely a source of bone health due to its broader role in adolescent development. As adolescence is a period when the body grows and the brain develops rapidly, it is crucial to consume the necessary nutrients during this time, especially calcium and protein, which can be easily obtained from milk.

Recent research findings on the relationship between milk consumption and cognitive performance have further highlighted the significance of adolescent milk consumption. However, in reality, the eating habits of Korean adolescents make it challenging to regularly meet the nutritional needs during growth. According to the 2025 Youth Health Lifestyle Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the regular breakfast consumption rate among adolescents was 41.9% for male students and 45.3% for female students.

Notably, high school students had even lower rates, with 44.6% of male students and 47.2% of female students skipping breakfast. This survey, which involved 54,170 students from 796 schools nationwide, provides insight into the health and eating habits of Korean adolescents. Given that many adolescents struggle to consistently eat meals, milk can serve as a convenient food source to supply essential nutrients like calcium and protein during the day, complementing the growing needs of adolescents, even in busy school schedules.

Particularly, the recent study's positive findings on the relationship between milk consumption and spatial working memory performance suggest that the value of adolescent milk consumption should not be limited to merely providing calcium for height growth. Instead, milk should be viewed as a valuable food that supports both physical development and cognitive function during the crucial period of adolescence.