Dr. Frank Oski, former director of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University said, ‘There is no reason to drink cow’s milk at any time in your life. It was designed for calves, it was not designed for humans, and we should all stop drinking it today, this afternoon.’

Dr. Spock agreed, saying, ‘[T]here was a time when cow’s milk was considered very desirable. But research, along with clinical experience, has forced
doctors and nutritionists to rethink this recommendation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that western nations that consume a lot of meat/dairy have the highest levels of osteoporosis, which is caused by eating a lot of animal protein. It says, ‘…hip fracture rates are higher in developed countries where calcium intake is high than in developing countries where calcium intake is low…fracture risk has recently been shown to be a function of protein intake in North American women.’ Anyone concerned about osteoporosis should read this informative WHO report which can be found here:
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2004/9241546123_chap4.pdf

I think that op-ed in the NY Times was a bit hysterical. The American Dietic Association states that a well planned vegetarian or vegan diet is suitable for all ages and life stages. If you eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and more, and make sure you get enough vitamin B12 and vitamin D (in fortified soy milk or in pill form), and omega 3 fatty acids (found in flax seed, walnuts, hempseed and other plant based sources), you’ll be covering your bases. And you won’t have to worry about salmonella, e-coli, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and other ailments linked to meat and dairy consumption.