Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Price of milk too high, says Northland health service

Updated at 6:28 pm on 15 February 2011

A primary health organisation in Northland says the high cost of milk is hurting poor families and damaging children's health.

Mania Health chief executive Chris Farrelly says the cheapest milk in a Whangarei supermarket is now $NZ3.65 for two litres, while families in Australia pay $A2.

Mr Farrelly says a New Zealand children's nutrition survey shows milk consumption has dropped by a third since the 1980s, replaced by cheaper soft drinks.

He says an increase in childhood obesity and diabetes is hardly surprising, with families are swapping milk for fizzy drinks.

Mr Farrelly says only a third of New Zealand children now drink milk daily.

Manaia Health serves 93,000 people.

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