SINGAPORE, June 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FrieslandCampina
today announces the publication of a milk consumption trends
study in SciFed Food and Dairy Technology Journal. This study is
the first of its kind to examine the key drivers and barriers of
milk consumption among adult Singaporeans.
Led by Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran,
Domain Lead for Applied Nutrition & Glycemic Index at Temasek
Polytechnic, the study drew on published research and findings from
focus group discussions conducted in 2017 among participants aged
18 to 65 years old. These focus groups provided qualitative data on
the overarching attitudes, beliefs and barriers regarding milk
consumption, as well as actions that can be taken to increase
consumption.
Analysis of focus group discussions found that majority of
participants did not view milk an essential daily source of
nutrition, and their ingrained attitudes, misperceptions and
behaviours are noted to prevent regular consumption. Participants
cited milk's perceived contribution to weight gain,
gastrointestinal side effects and taste as barriers. These
disadvantages are, however, unfounded and not scientifically
proven. There is also a prevalent ignorance of milk's benefits
beyond calcium. Existing literature from Singapore's National Health Survey also found
that 50% of adult Singaporeans do not consume any milk.
"It is interesting to note that while there is an increasing
demand for milk and dairy in Singapore, the increase in milk consumption is
not specific to adults. With a growing ageing population, it is
important to educate and inform people of milk's benefits to
general health and prevention of diseases such as
osteoporosis," said Dr Kalpana
Bhaskaran.
Hendro Poedjono, Corporate Affairs Director, FrieslandCampina
AMEA, said: "The health and well-being of our
consumers are a priority for us at FrieslandCampina. Our
collaboration with Dr Kalpana
Bhaskaran aims to address the gaps in health and nutrition
education. We hope that through collaborative efforts with public
and private sectors, we can raise the level of health and nutrition
status of Singaporeans of all ages now and in the future."
The publication is available online at:
https://www.scifedpublishers.com/open-access/milk-consumption-trends-in-singapore.pdf
For more
information, please contact:
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Media
Contacts
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FrieslandCampina AMEA
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Spurwing
Communications
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Ada
Wong
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Stephanie Tan/Emma
Thompson
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Head of Public
Affairs and Communications
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T: +65 6340
7287
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T: +65 6850
7931
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Email:
FC@spurwingcomms.com
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Email:
Ada.Wong@frieslandcampina.com
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About FrieslandCampina AMEA
FrieslandCampina AMEA comprises of operating companies that are
active in the consumer products segment in Asia, the Middle
East and Africa.
FrieslandCampina has acquired leading positions in many
countries across the region with its strong brands and wide range
of products. The company provides a range of long shelf life
products including milk powder, condensed milk, infant and
children's nutrition to dairy drinks, yoghurts and desserts. Some
of its leading brands across the AMEA region are Dutch Lady,
Foremost, Friso, Frisian Flag, Rainbow and Peak.
As one of the world's largest dairy cooperatives,
FrieslandCampina spreads the goodness of dairy by actively
contributing to food and nutrition security initiatives across
these regions, and is committed to being a responsible business
with the goal of creating a sustainable future for the business and
communities that it serves.
For more information please visit www.frieslandcampina.com.
About the study
This is a first-of-its-kind study conducted on the trends of
adult milk consumption in Singapore. Led by applied nutrition expert Dr
Kalpana Bhaskaran, the study
analyses published literature on the topic as well as findings from
a series of focus group discussions conducted in 2017. The study
notes the low level of milk consumption among adult Singaporeans,
and explores the existing attitudes, beliefs and barriers that
account for the low uptake. It also uncovers a general ignorance of
the benefits of milk beyond calcium.
Commissioned by FrieslandCampina Asia, it is hoped that the
findings from the study can affect the action and discussions
needed to not only promote the intake of milk, but also to remind
Singaporeans of the need for balanced and nutritious diets.