Our favorite lactose intolerant blogger, Steve Carper of Planet Lactose, is currently attending the National Institutes of Health state-of-the-science conference sponsored by the National Human Genome Research Institute and the NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research. He will be updating Planet Lactose with the play by play and conference outcome, so be sure to check it out! You can also view the conference webcast at http://videocast.nih.gov.

Immediately following the conference, there will be a press telebriefing. Reporters will be welcome to call in for this on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 2:00 pm EST.

A brief summary of the conference scope, which is open to the public to attend, is as follows:

"Infants of every racial and ethnic group worldwide produce lactase, an enzyme required to successfully digest the lactose present in human milk or infant formulas. However, by the time many of the world’s children reach the age of three to four years, expression of intestinal lactase ceases, often causing gas production, bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Health care providers are concerned that individuals avoiding fortified dairy products may not be meeting recommended intakes of calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients, which may have effects on bone health throughout the lifecycle. Questions remain as to the amount, if any, of lactose that can be tolerated by lactose intolerant individuals and how best to assist them in meeting recommended intakes.

The impartial, independent Consensus Development Conference panel will hold a press telebriefing to highlight their findings and implications for the public following the NIH Consensus Development Conference: Lactose Intolerance in Health, February 22-24, 2010. The panel’s statement will incorporate their assessment of the available evidence from a systematic literature review, expert presentations, and audience input to inform provider and patient decisions regarding lactose intolerance and health."

For more information on the conference, telebriefing, and webcast, visit the NIH conference page.