An Australian study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that drinking low-fat milk isn’t as beneficial to weight loss as previously believed.
Gilly Hendry and Rebecca Golley, researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, divided 145 children aged 4 to 13, into two groups: one that replaced dairy products with low-fat versions, and one that received no dietary advice.
After six months, researchers found no change in weight, body mass index (BMI), or weight circumference. The children tended to offset the low-fat products with increased consumption of calories from other food sources.
The low-fat group consumed slightly less fat during the study, with 13.3 percent of their total calories from saturated fat, while the control group consumed 16.6 percent – both well above the recommended daily intake of 10 percent.
Researchers concluded that the consumption of low-fat dairy products for six months had no significant effect on weight loss or BMI.