Cow milk is extremely nutritious and has an array of nutrients, which makes it a whole meal in itself — one of its benefits recently discovered by St. Michael’s Hospital of Unity Health Toronto.
In a systematic review and meta-analysis, scientists found that children who drank whole milk had 40 percent lower odds of being overweight or obese compared with children who consumed reduced-fat milk.
Scientists investigated 28 studies from seven countries that examined the connection between children drinking dairy cow’s milk and the danger of being overweight or obese. None of the reviews- which included complete 21,000 kids between the ages of one and 18 years of age – indicated that children who drank reduced-fat milk had a lower danger of being overweight or fat. Eighteen of the 28 investigations suggested children who drank whole milk were less likely to be overweight or obese.
Dr. Jonathon Maguire, a lead author of the review and a pediatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital, said, “The majority of children in Canada and the United States consume cow’s milk daily, and it is a major contributor of dietary fat for many children. In our review, children following the current recommendation of switching to reduced-fat milk at age two were not leaner than those consuming whole milk.”
“All of the studies we examined were observational studies, meaning that we cannot be sure if whole milk caused a lower risk of overweight or obesity. Whole milk may have been related to other factors that lowered the risk of overweight or obesity. A randomized controlled trial would help to establish cause and effect, but none were found in the literature.”
The research is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.