October 15, 2021, 2:51 am | Read time: 4 minutes
It’s one of those eternal debates in nutrition: Are low-fat dairy products or whole milk products healthier? At least for children, a study has finally answered this question. There are also indications for adults.
Milk and dairy products such as yogurt and cheese are among the most important foods in the diet. However, one question seems to particularly bother many people: Should you choose whole milk products or low-fat ones when shopping? The persistent prejudice is that whole milk products are unhealthier due to their higher fat content and could lead to obesity. An Australian study has now finally provided clarity and offers reassurance, especially for children.1
Overview
Children aged two to six examined
Researchers at Australia’s Edith Cowan University studied how the consumption of low-fat dairy products and whole milk foods affects children’s health. They examined 49 children aged four to six over a period of three months. The children were randomly divided into two groups: One group received low-fat dairy products daily, while the other group consumed whole milk products.
Parents did not have to purchase the food themselves; it was delivered every evening in neutral packaging. Thus, participants in both groups did not know whether they were consuming whole or low-fat dairy products. During the test period, each child’s obesity, body composition, blood pressure, and blood values were monitored.
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Whole milk products do not lead to obesity
Surprisingly, children in both test groups consumed roughly the same number of calories throughout the day. Those participants who “saved” calories with low-fat dairy products compensated by eating more of other foods, thus regaining the calories. The study’s examination of body composition, blood values, and all other parameters showed no significant differences at the end.
Thus, the study clearly contradicts the widespread notion that whole milk products can lead to obesity in children. The authors suggest that children’s dietary guidelines should be revised. There is no reason children shouldn’t eat the dairy products they enjoy, whether low-fat or full-fat. Unfortunately, the authors do not address the sugar content in dairy products or provide recommendations in this regard.
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Other studies support the findings
The authors of the Australian study point out that other research also finds no evidence linking high-fat dairy products to obesity. An analysis of data from 1999 to 2016 on young Americans showed that overweight individuals aged two to 20 were more likely to drink low-fat or significantly reduced-fat milk.2 In contrast, normal-weight individuals in this age range tended to drink whole milk.
Even in adults, an analysis of 16 studies on this topic showed that high-fat dairy products or milk fat do not lead to obesity or cardiovascular diseases.3 There were even indications that consuming high-fat dairy products reduces the risk of obesity.
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Conclusion
According to current studies, there is no evidence that consuming whole milk products leads to obesity more than low-fat dairy products. There are indications that the calories saved by low-fat dairy products are compensated throughout the day by consuming other foods. Therefore, both children and adults can enjoy non-fat-reduced dairy products with a clear conscience. However, adults should moderate their milk consumption for other reasons–why, FITBOOK discussed with experts in another article.
Sources
- Analise Nicholl, Kane E Deering, Kate Evelegh, Philippa Lyons-Wall, David Lawrence, Trevor A Mori, Mario Kratz, Therese A O’Sullivan: Whole-fat dairy products do not adversely affect adiposity or cardiometabolic risk factors in children in the Milky Way Study: a double-blind randomized controlled pilot study, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2021)
- White MJ, Armstrong SC, Kay MC, Perrin EM, Skinner A. Associations between milk fat content and obesity, 1999 to 2016. Pediatr Obes. (2020)
- Kratz M, Baars T, Guyenet S. The relationship between high-fat dairy consumption and obesity, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease. Eur J Nutr. (2013)