Failing to drink milk could lead to problems later in life (Picture: Getty)

Young dieters following so-called ‘clean eating’ regimes that cut out dairy produce face developing osteoporosis in later life, a charity has warned.

A National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) survey found four in 10 young adults have tried the fashionable diets that often involve avoiding dairy, gluten, grain and sugar, while more than fifth had severely restricted their intake of milk and cheese.

How to make sure you get enough calcium even if you don’t eat dairy

Fuelled by social media, the clean eating trend has surged in popularity in recent years, with some advocates achieving celebrity status with hundreds of thousands of followers.

However the charity warned that restrictive diets among younger generations will lead to widespread health issues in later life, including osteoporosis which causes bones to become brittle and break.




Charity adviser Professor Susan Lanham-New told the Daily Telegraph: ‘By the time we get into our late twenties it is too late to reverse the damage caused by nutrient deficiencies.

This is what osteoporosis does to your skeleton over time (Picture: Getty)

‘Without urgent action being taken to encourage young adults to incorporate all food groups into their diets and avoid clean eating regimes, we are facing a future where broken bones will become the norm.

‘Osteoporosis is a painful and debilitating condition and young adults have just one chance to build strong bones.’

MORE: How to live dairy-free and stay healthy

The NOS surveyed more than 2,000 adults and found 70% of those aged 18 to 35 were on or had been on a diet and 18 to 24-year-olds were most likely to have tried clean eating.

The diets often focus on avoiding processed foods and eating raw, unrefined produce.

Dairy foods are a source of calcium, an essential nutrient for the health and strength of bones.

The NOS campaign, A Message to My Younger Self, is being supported by nutrition and skincare expert Liz Earle.

She said: ‘When I was growing up, my meals weren’t photographed and shared on social media.

‘The pressure young women are under to match what their idols on Instagram are eating is really high.’

Rick Miller, registered clinical and sports dietitian and nutrition manager at The a2 Milk Company said: ‘There is a frightening level of misunderstanding around dairy with celebrity-led ‘clean eating’ diets and food avoidance fads rising in popularity and as a result our teenagers are potentially facing a future health crisis. Already 1 in 5 teenage girls are calcium deficient and do not get enough iodine from their food sources.

‘Milk alternatives and plant-based drinks such as soya, almond, oat and rice milks are not naturally rich in nutrients and have to be fortified with artificial vitamins, minerals and proteins which are often less well-absorbed than those naturally found in cows’ milk.

‘Real cows’ milk really is the solution – it is incredibly nutritious and a vital source of calcium – one glass delivers over a third of our calcium needs, our complete vitamin B12 needs and is an easily absorbed protein source.’

However, the Vegan Society said: ‘Any diet, vegan or non-vegan, could be lacking in nutrients if they are not adequately planned. It is the position of the British Dietetics Association, the largest association of food and nutrition professionals in the UK, that “well-planned plant-based, vegan-friendly diets can be devised to support healthy living at every age and life-stage”.’



They added that there are ‘alternative sources that can be easily obtained on a vegan diet, such as calcium-fortified plant milk and soya yoghurt, and calcium-set tofu.

‘Other sources include kale, pak choi, okra, spring greens, dried figs, chia seeds and almonds.’