Last updated on 8-8-2025 by Elise Grimm
Why do we study the consumption of milk and milk products according to guidelines?
- A balanced diet plays an important role in maintaining and promoting health. The Superior Health Council provides food-based dietary guidelines tailored to the Belgian population, aiming to reduce illness, premature death, and the overall disease burden caused in part by unhealthy eating habits.
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Milk and milk products are an important source of protein, vitamin B12 and micronutrients such as calcium, iodine, potassium and phosphorus.
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The Superior Health Council recommends that adults consume 250 to 500 ml of milk or milk products per day.
How do we study the consumption of “milk and milk baed products”?
- Trained interviewers conducted two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls to record all the foods and drinks participants had consumed on the previous day. These recalls were carried out in a standardised manner using a specialised computer program (GloboDiet®).
- The intake of milk and milk based products was assessed as habitual intake (also known as usual or long-term intake), representing the average daily intake over the long term. This method accounts for natural day-to-day variations in what and how much people eat, offering a more accurate picture of typical dietary habits over time. This is particularly important when evaluating whether a population meets dietary recommendations. All intakes mentioned in the results below refer to the mean habitual intake, unless stated otherwise.
- The statistical tool Statistical Program to Assess habitual Dietary Exposure (SPADE) was used to estimate habitual intake distributions based on the short-term data collected through the 24-hour dietary recalls.
- The guidelines were assessed by calculating the proportion of the population consuming less than 250 grams of milk and milk based products per day. The mean intakes presented on this page are expressed in grams per day and not in ml per day.
- The detailed methodology can be found here.
What did we include as “milk and milk products”?
- Based on the recommendation of the Superior Health Council, this group:
- includes milk and milk-based products, such as yoghurt, fresh cheese, cheese, (fermented) milk drinks like chocolate milk or Fristi®, and desserts like pudding;
- does not include butter, cream and vegetable drinks based on soya, rice, oats, almonds or hazelnuts.
KEY RESULTS
The population aged 3 years and older in Belgium consumes on average 151 g of milk and milk products per day
88% of adults consume less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day
Men consume more milk and milk products than women
The proportion of adults consuming less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day is higher in Wallonia than in Flanders
The consumption of milk and milk products has decreased between 2014-2015 and 2022-2023
By age and sex
Mean habitual intake of milk and milk products (g/day) in the population aged 3 years and older, by age and sex, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Mean intake refers to the estimated mean habitual intake, calculated from two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls.
- Older adults (65 years and above) do not include those residing in care facilities, hospitalised individuals, or those who would have required significant assistance during interviews (e.g., people with cognitive impairments).
- In Belgium, the mean intake of milk and milk products is 151 g/day among the population aged 3 years and older. The median intake is 129 g/day.
- The mean intake of milk and milk products is generally higher in men (164 g/day) than in women (138 g/day). This sex difference is the most pronounced in children aged 3-9 years, with an intake of 224 g/day in boys and 182 g/day in girls.
- The mean intake of milk and milk products is the highest in children aged 3-9 years (204 g/day), it decreases in adolescents aged 10-17 years (154 g/day), and is the lowest in adults aged 18-64 years (142 g/day).
Proportion of the population aged 18 years and older consuming less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day, by age and sex, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Children (3–9 years) and adolescents (10–17 years) are not included, as the dietary guideline set by the Superior Health Council applies only to adults.
- Older adults (65 years and above) do not include those residing in care facilities, hospitalised individuals, or those who would have required significant assistance during interviews (e.g., people with cognitive impairments).
- 88% of the adults in Belgium have a mean intake of milk and milk products below 250 g per day.
- This proportion is higher in women than in men, in general and in both age groups.
- This proportion is similar in adults aged 18-64 years (89%) and in adults aged 65 years and older (88%).
By educational level
Mean habitual intake of milk and milk products (g/day) in the population aged 3 years and older, by educational level, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Mean intake refers to the estimated mean habitual intake, calculated from two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls.
- The educational level is calculated at the household level by considering the highest diploma obtained by: (i) the respondents or their partner for adults (aged 18 years and above), or (ii) the father and mother (or carer, if applicable) for children and adolescents (aged 3 to 17 years). However, for simplicity, we refer to the educational level of individuals rather than the educational level of their households.
- The mean intake of milk and milk products does not vary by educational level.
Proportion of the population aged 18 years and older consuming less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day, by educational level, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Children (3–9 years) and adolescents (10–17 years) are not included, as the dietary guideline set by the Superior Health Council applies only to adults.
- The educational level is calculated at the household level by considering the highest diploma obtained by: (i) the respondents or their partner for adults (aged 18 years and above), or (ii) the father and mother (or carer, if applicable) for children and adolescents (aged 3 to 17 years). However, for simplicity, we refer to the educational level of individuals rather than the educational level of their households.
- The proportion of adults consuming less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day is similar in the three education level groups: 88% for those with a low level of education, 89% for those with a medium level of education and 87% for those with a high level of education.
By region
Mean habitual intake of milk and milk products (g/day) in the population aged 3 years and older, by region, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Mean intake refers to the estimated mean habitual intake, calculated from two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls.
- Brussels is excluded from the regional comparison due to an insufficient number of participants, but is included in the national data for Belgium.
- The mean intake of milk and milk products in the population aged 3 years and older is higher in Flanders (162 g/day) than in Wallonia (138 g/day).
Proportion of the population aged 18 years and older consuming less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day, by region, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Children (3–9 years) and adolescents (10–17 years) are not included, as the dietary guideline set by the Superior Health Council applies only to adults.
- Brussels is excluded from the regional comparison due to an insufficient number of participants, but is included in the national data for Belgium.
- The proportion of adults consuming less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day is higher in Wallonia (93%) than in Flanders (85%).
By year
Mean habitual intake of milk and milk products (g/day) in the population aged 3 to 64 years old, by year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Mean intake refers to the estimated mean habitual intake, calculated from two non-consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls.
- Adults aged 65 years and above are not included as they were not part of the target population of the 2014-2015 survey.
- The mean intake of milk and milk products in the population aged 3 to 64 years old has decreased between 2014-2015 (180 g/day) and 2022-2023 (152 g/day).
Proportion of the population aged 18 to 64 years old consuming less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day, by year, Belgium: 2022-2023
- Crude = results weighted for season, age, sex, and socioeconomic status.
- Children (3–9 years) and adolescents (10–17 years) are not included, as the dietary guideline set by the Superior Health Council applies only to adults.
- Adults aged 65 years and above are not included as they were not part of the target population of the 2014-2015 survey.
- The proportion of adults aged 18-64 years old consuming less than 250 g of milk and milk products per day has increased between 2014–2015 (82%) and 2022–2023 (89%).
Please cite this page as: Sciensano. Food-based dietary guidelines: Milk and milk products, Food Consumption Survey 2022-2023, June 2025, Brussels, Belgium, https://www.sciensano.be/en/results-national-food-consumption-survey-2022-2023/food-based-dietary-guidelines/milk-and-milk-products