Whole milk is just as good for babies as it is for a lower percentage of fat.
The debate over which milk is more beneficial for children – whole or low-fat – has been going on for more than a decade. And now a new study has put an end to these disputes.
Australian scientists have concluded that for children there is no fundamental difference between the two common versions of milk. In other words, whole or fat milk is just as good for babies as low-fat milk. This conclusion, which people have been waiting for so long, was made during only three-month observations of 49 children aged 4 to 6 years. They were randomly divided into two groups, the participants of the first were given low-fat dairy products daily, and the participants of the second – were whole.
And to assess the effects of whole and skim milk, scientists have identified characteristics such as weight and obesity, body composition and blood pressure, as well as blood biomarkers. Children in both groups were found to consume about the same number of calories. In this case, babies on skim milk received fewer calories from dairy products, but more from other foods. Both groups did not show any significant differences in overweight or cardiovascular health. This means that the numerous claims that children must be given skim milk, which contains less saturated fat, are not true. Even skimmed or whole milk will not lead to childhood obesity.
