Determining the impact of milk vending purchases on calcium intake in college vending consumers

Studies have shown that during the transition from late adolescence to young adulthood, calcium intake decreases in men and women. Many college students rely on vending machines, but the typical foods offered do not yield substantial nutritional value. Paradoxically, vending offers an opportunity for positive dietary change due to location and ability to control foods offered. Milk vending has been introduced in some settings with demonstrated success. The objective of the current study was to determine the impact of milk vending purchases on calcium intake in college vending consumers. Milk vending machines were installed in 2 undergraduate dorms (1/dorm) (MV). Two dorms with access to beverage vending, but without milk vending, were selected as control sites (nMV). Students living in MV (n=73) and nMV (n= 79) dorms were asked to complete a calcium questionnaire at the point of milk or non‐milk beverage vending purchase, respectively. Daily calcium intakes (mg) were (mean±SD) 1245.2±542.6 (MV) and 1052.7±450.5 (nMV). Adjusting for gender, students surveyed in MV dorms had a significantly higher calcium intake than students in nMV dorms (p=.01). Adjusting for gender and access to milk vending, there was a significant association between past month milk vending purchases and daily calcium intake from milk (p<.001). Milk vending may serve as a novel approach to improving calcium intake in college vending consumers.