Higher fat cow-milk intake linked to lower childhood obesity
Majority of children are put on cow-milk after they've stopped taking
breast milk. Children aged > 2 years are recommended to consume
reduced fat (0.1-2%) cow milk to lower the risk of obesity.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that children who drank whole milk had 40 % lower odds of being overweight or obese compared to children who consumed reduced-fat milk. The findings challenge Canadian and International guidelines that recommend children consume reduced-fat cow milk instead of whole milk starting at age 2 to reduce the risk of obesity.
The research analysed 28 studies from 7 countries that explored the relationship between children drinking cow's milk and the risk of being overweight or obese. None of the studies-- which involved a total of almost 21,000 children between the ages of 1-18 years old showed that kids who drank reduced-fat milk had a lower risk of being overweight or obese. 19 of the 28 studies suggested children who drank whole milk were less likely to be overweight or obese.
The majority of children in Canada and the U.S. consume cow's milk on a daily basis and it is a major contributor od dietary fat for many children, said the lead author of the study.
" In our review, children following the current recommendation of switching to reduced-fat milk at age 2 were not leaner than those consuming whole milk".
The researcher hope to establish the cause and effect of whole milk and lower risk of obesity in a randomised controlled trial.
All of the studies we examined were observational studies, meaning that we can't be sure if while milk caused a lower risk of overweight or obesity. Whole milk may have been related to other factors which lowered the risk of overweight or obesity, the author said.
A randomised controlled trial would help to establish cause and effect but none were found in the literature.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that children who drank whole milk had 40 % lower odds of being overweight or obese compared to children who consumed reduced-fat milk. The findings challenge Canadian and International guidelines that recommend children consume reduced-fat cow milk instead of whole milk starting at age 2 to reduce the risk of obesity.
The research analysed 28 studies from 7 countries that explored the relationship between children drinking cow's milk and the risk of being overweight or obese. None of the studies-- which involved a total of almost 21,000 children between the ages of 1-18 years old showed that kids who drank reduced-fat milk had a lower risk of being overweight or obese. 19 of the 28 studies suggested children who drank whole milk were less likely to be overweight or obese.
The majority of children in Canada and the U.S. consume cow's milk on a daily basis and it is a major contributor od dietary fat for many children, said the lead author of the study.
" In our review, children following the current recommendation of switching to reduced-fat milk at age 2 were not leaner than those consuming whole milk".
The researcher hope to establish the cause and effect of whole milk and lower risk of obesity in a randomised controlled trial.
All of the studies we examined were observational studies, meaning that we can't be sure if while milk caused a lower risk of overweight or obesity. Whole milk may have been related to other factors which lowered the risk of overweight or obesity, the author said.
A randomised controlled trial would help to establish cause and effect but none were found in the literature.