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He never liked milk much I just wonder if there is a health reason for this.

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    What does your/his doctor say? And I'm not familiar with the phrase "white milk", do you just mean normal cows' milk?
    – A E
    Mar 12, 2015 at 19:27
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    @AE I think it's meant to be, "as opposed to chocolate milk", but I hope it gets clarified.
    – user11394
    Mar 12, 2015 at 20:49

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11 is about when boys often start growing to their adult size; often it's a bit later, but 11 is certainly within reasonable bounds for that.

Cravings for particular foods are often a sign that you need something in them. In the case of milk, you have a lot of things - some protein, some calcium, some vitamins, but mostly it's a rich, caloric drink. It's not necessarily better than a lot of foods, but it's a lot more nutritious than water! A lot of what is in milk is useful for bone and muscle development, both of which are going on at his age. (Whey protein, from milk, is a common drink additive for body builders, for example.)

Of course, if this is excessive or makes you uncomfortable, you should always speak with your son's doctor.

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  • "A lot of what is in milk is useful for bone … development" [citation-needed]
    – bjb568
    Mar 13, 2015 at 1:03
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    Umm, calcium? Or are you disagreeing with fairly conventional wisdom (in which case please post a link supporting that)?
    – Joe
    Mar 13, 2015 at 1:04
  • There is no evidence supporting the claim that increasing calcium in your a diet leads to better bone growth. here are links
    – bjb568
    Mar 13, 2015 at 1:06
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    Not above normal, sure, but that's the other way around from what I'm saying. Calcium is needed for bone growth - even if you normally get plenty - and so it can be something you crave.
    – Joe
    Mar 13, 2015 at 1:35
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    Your links each concern hip fracture in elderly adults, which has little bearing on adolescent growth spurts. The first paper mentions "Calcium intake during the adolescent growth spurt is a critical factor because the demand for calcium accretion in bone is high. Most reviews of the extensive research in this area conclude that bone mass is increased with higher calcium intake during childhood and adolescence" -- little effect on bone density late in life, ok, but bones do need a source of calcium (can be dairy milk, can be other foods).
    – Acire
    Mar 13, 2015 at 2:05

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