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Reducing dairy or “clean eating” diets are causing serious damage to young people’s health, the group said.
Results of a survey released on Wednesday show 70% of 18 to 35 year olds are currently, or have previously been, dieting and 20% had cut or significantly reduced dairy in their diet.
Any reduction in dairy in young people’s diets is a ticking time bomb for their bones, the group said.
“Time is running out for them to prevent permanent damage.”
Alarmingly, the most common diet for those aged 25 and under was “clean eating”, which can see dieters cutting out whole food groups from their diet.
Cutting out food groups, such as dairy, during this stage of bone development could put future bone health at significant risk, and specifically increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become fragile and break easily, the group said.
Dairy is an important source of calcium
Commenting on the findings, Professor of Nutrition Susan Lanham-New warned that without urgent action to encourage all food groups, broken bones will become the norm.
“Diet in early adulthood is so important because by the time we get into our late twenties it is too late to reverse the damage caused by poor diet and nutrient deficiencies and the opportunity to build strong bones has passed,” she said.
The survey also showed that under 25s are much more likely than any other age group to be following health, diet or nutrition bloggers on social media. The findings are causing concern about the influence fad eating regimes promoted on social media are having on teenagers and young adults and the damage they are causing to their health.
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