Full-fat dairy study challenges decades of low-fat dairy advice
A 12-week Canadian trial of 74 adults found three daily servings of full-fat dairy did not cause harmful changes in weight or cholesterol.
A new Canadian study led by University of Toronto professor Harvey Anderson found that adults who ate three servings of full-fat dairy each day for 12 weeks did not show harmful changes in body weight, body composition, energy metabolism, or blood cholesterol. Participants who consumed more dairy also showed improvements in blood pressure and got more of several important nutrients. The findings were published in The Journal of Nutrition.
The study involved 74 adults with overweight or obesity who were randomly assigned to one of three diets. One group ate little dairy on a calorie-restricted diet. The other two groups each ate three servings of dairy daily, one on an energy-neutral diet and one with no specific calorie limits.
For decades, Canadian and many other countries' nutrition guidelines have recommended low-fat or fat-free dairy, mainly because saturated fat can raise LDL, or "bad," cholesterol. Anderson noted that many human studies have not found a clear link between full-fat dairy and poor health, and other research has linked whole-fat milk to a lower risk of childhood obesity.
Key points
- The 12-week study included 74 adults with overweight or obesity.
- Full-fat dairy did not cause harmful changes in weight or blood cholesterol.
- Higher dairy intake was linked to improved blood pressure and more nutrients.
- The study was published in The Journal of Nutrition.
Read the original reporting
Summarized with AI from the sources above and reviewed before publishing.
