Recent Studies Find Link Between Cow's Milk and the Debilitating Disease

For Immediate Release:
October 1, 2008

Contact:
Ashley Byrne 757-622-7382

Salt Lake City -- In light of two scientific studies that link milk consumption to autism in children and a third that establishes that the Salt Lake City metropolitan area has one of the highest rates of autism among 14 regions studied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PETA has just unveiled a brand-new billboard parodying a ubiquitous milk ad. The ad shows a bowl of milk and cereal next to the tagline "Got Autism? Studies Have Shown a Link Between Cow's Milk and Autism." It will be displayed on two electronic billboards located at I-15 northbound at 1100 South (facing south) and I-15 southbound at 9800 South (facing north). The rotating electronic ad will be shown more than 20,000 times at each location over the next two weeks.

The bad news is that data from a study by the CDC show that metropolitan Salt Lake City's rate of 7.5 cases of autism per 1,000 8-year-old children is the one of the highest among the 14 areas studied. The good news is that a study conducted in Norway found a major reduction in autistic behavior in children who were put on a diet free of casein--a component of cow's milk. Another study conducted by researchers at the University of Rome found a "marked improvement" in the behavior of autistic children who were taken off dairy products. Both studies present compelling evidence that should give parents pause the next time that they're inclined to say to their kids, "Drink your milk."

Testimonials from parents of autistic kids support the studies' findings. One mother posted the following on the Internet: "There was nothing to lose, so I decided to eliminate all the dairy products from his diet. What happened next was nothing short of miraculous. Miles stopped screaming, he didn't spend as much time repeating actions, and … [f]or the first time in months, he let his sister hold his hands to sing 'Ring Around a Rosy.'"

"We already know about the link between dairy products and ear infections, diabetes, certain types of cancer, and obesity, and now you can add autism to the list," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Cow's milk might be the perfect food for baby cows, but it might also be making kids sick and could seriously damage their health when they get older."

For more information and to view a copy of the billboard, please visit PETA's Web site GoVeg.com.