The level of conflict of interest in American Dietetics is off the charts and, as you say, no one seems to bat an eyelid. It's so deeply unethical and yet totally accepted. The milk thing has always seemed totally wild to me too, for all the reasons you give. I've also read that white dietitians played a really enormous role in terms of performing 'experiments' on indigenous children in residential schools to prove that those kiddos 'needed' milk. It's all so vile. Side note: I always thought lactose intolerance in BIPOC folks was due to downregulation? Assuming they were able to digest lactose in breast milk and then lose the ability because they have no dietary exposure. I may be wrong though, and either way your point still stands!
Yessss, I was thinking about this exact same issue in relation to WIC. The monthly allowance for a household of 3 (which can also be 2 + unborn child) is 4.75 gallons -- yes, gallons! -- of milk, with no option for a non-dairy alternative. Initially I only considered my own Ashkenazi gut, and then was like, wait a second -- how many/what proportion of people on WIC can't digest dairy? This makes no sense to anyone except the dairy industry, and is at least a micro-aggression if not full-on racism.
The level of conflict of interest in American Dietetics is off the charts and, as you say, no one seems to bat an eyelid. It's so deeply unethical and yet totally accepted. The milk thing has always seemed totally wild to me too, for all the reasons you give. I've also read that white dietitians played a really enormous role in terms of performing 'experiments' on indigenous children in residential schools to prove that those kiddos 'needed' milk. It's all so vile. Side note: I always thought lactose intolerance in BIPOC folks was due to downregulation? Assuming they were able to digest lactose in breast milk and then lose the ability because they have no dietary exposure. I may be wrong though, and either way your point still stands!
That is horrible about the experiments, but unsurprising.
And ah yes, I see where the language around LI was unclear -- I edited to make it more clear (and accurate). Thanks!
I think this is where I first learned about it and I think there are a few papers on it too if you wanted to dig deeper (with all the content warnings because it's all really distressing) https://www.instagram.com/p/CL4Plo9l2SY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Thank you!!
Yessss, I was thinking about this exact same issue in relation to WIC. The monthly allowance for a household of 3 (which can also be 2 + unborn child) is 4.75 gallons -- yes, gallons! -- of milk, with no option for a non-dairy alternative. Initially I only considered my own Ashkenazi gut, and then was like, wait a second -- how many/what proportion of people on WIC can't digest dairy? This makes no sense to anyone except the dairy industry, and is at least a micro-aggression if not full-on racism.
This just in: Colorado WIC just added "Dairy alternatives such as tofu and soy milk" to its allowable foods list! A step in the right direction.
Thank you, I love this update!
Ahh I may have gotten this wrong. Going to do some more research!