Aaron Rodgers and Cheese

Aaron Rodgers' diet is national news.

Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers axes dairy, Cheeseheads not impressed https://t.co/4YOz8EKe5S pic.twitter.com/8chXAgl7H9

— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 10, 2016

From FOX News:

Green Pay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has sparked the ire of Cheeseheads across the country by announcing he’s cut dairy out of his diet to slim down and “get healthier.”

...Eschewing cheese in America’s Dairyland—or at least publicly announcing it—may not be the smartest move for a Packers player.

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, an industry organization that promotes consumption of Wisconsin dairy to boost industry sales, wasn’t pleased with Rodgers comments that certain foods, like diary, can “increase inflammation” in the body.

"As some of the world's greatest Packer fans, the dairy farm families of Wisconsin are, of course, disappointed by this news," the Milk Marketing Board said in a statement. "While we trust and respect Aaron Rodgers and his nutrition team, we stick by the USDA recommendation of three servings of dairy per day for anyone age 9 and older. Cheese is a natural source of high-quality protein and among the richest dietary sources of calcium."

...The board added, "Regarding inflammation, Aaron would be better off to continue to eat low-fat dairy products. The National Institutes (of) Health says there is no proof dairy causes inflammation in muscles and joints."

Rodgers hasn’t just upset Wisconsin dairy producers. Cheeseheads across social media have lashed out at the football player for ditching the state’s most treasured food.

Eating dairy isn't a requirement for athletes on Wisconsin teams.

I don't care what Rodgers eats.

I can understand why the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board would respond to his claims about dairy increasing inflammation in the body and hampering health. It's not good for someone like Rodgers to state that eliminating dairy from his diet was part of his program to get healthier and extend his career.

Of course, Packer fans want Rodgers to be healthy and keep playing. He should eat whatever he thinks will help him achieve that.

Still, Rodgers has been in Green Bay a long time. It would have been nice if he had thought about the effect his public denunciation of dairy might have for Wisconsin's farm families and state industry.

But, it's not as if he's the reigning Alice in Dairyland.

I doubt Rodgers' comments will have any impact at all. Will people stop consuming dairy because Rodgers has made that choice? No way.