A critical review of the role of milk and other dairy products in the development of obesity in children and adolescents

Abstract

Existing reviews suggest that milk and other dairy products do not play a role in the development of obesity in childhood, but they do make an important contribution to children’s nutrient intake. It is thus curious that public health advice on the consumption of dairy products for children is often perceived as unclear. The present review aimed to provide an overview of the totality of the evidence on the association between milk and other dairy products, and obesity and indicators of adiposity, in children. Our search identified forty-three cross-sectional studies, thirty-one longitudinal cohort studies and twenty randomised controlled trials. We found that milk and other dairy products are consistently found to be not associated, or inversely associated, with obesity and indicators of adiposity in children. Adjustment for energy intake tended to change inverse associations to neutral. Also, we found little evidence to suggest that the relationship varied by type of milk or dairy product, or age of the children, although there was a dearth of evidence for young children. Only nine of the ninety-four studies found a positive association between milk and other dairy products and body fatness. There may be some plausible mechanisms underlying the effect of milk and other dairy products on adiposity that influence energy and fat balance, possibly through fat absorption, appetite or metabolic activity of gut microbiota. In conclusion, there is little evidence to support a concern to limit the consumption of milk and other dairy products for children on the grounds that they may promote obesity.

Associations between Dairy Intake, Body Composition, and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Spanish Schoolchildren: The Cuenca Study

“…The relationship between milk or dairy intake and obesity in children had been previously examined in several studies with similar results [10,27,28]. Existing literature showed consistently that dairy and obesity in children were either inverse or not associated [8]. In consequence, published reviews indicated that the protective effect of dairy intake on obesity and overweight is only suggestive [8,9,29,30].…”

“…Dietary recommendations state that dairy is a key element of a healthy eating pattern [6], with specific benefits for growth and bone health during childhood [7]. Additionally, some reviews have showed the protective effect of dairy against obesity [8,9] and several studies have found that dairy intake decreases the risk of CVD [10,11] in children and adolescents. However, full-fat dairy products have been traditionally associated with obesity and adverse cardiovascular health due to their fat content and the presence of saturated fatty acid (SFA) in adults [12].…”

Associations between milk fat content and obesity, 1999 to 2016

“…Some studies demonstrate low consumption of milk in childhood is a risk factor for obesity, while others indicate the opposite . A recent comprehensive review found no evidence that milk consumption contributes to obesity risk among adolescents; however, the authors note less evidence to support this conclusion among children less than 8 years of age . A study of the association of dairy and adiposity in China, one of the few non‐Western nations represented in this literature, similarly found no association between dairy consumption and weight status among adolescents .…”

“…13,14 A recent comprehensive review found no evidence that milk consumption contributes to obesity risk among adolescents; however, the authors note less evidence to support this conclusion among children less than 8 years of age. 15 A study of the association of dairy and adiposity in China, one of the few non-Western nations represented in this literature, similarly found no association between dairy consumption and weight status among adolescents. 16 However, heterogeneity in study design, population, and definition of exposures and outcomes make comparisons difficult.…”

What guidance is there on portion size for feeding preschool‐aged children (1 to 5 years) in the United Kingdom and Ireland? A systematic grey literature review

“…We observed the greatest variability in portion size across resources in the dairy food group (IQR = 68 g), however, this only equated to a variability of 34 kcal. This may in theory influence the risk of obesity, as dairy foods tend to be calorie rich, however, a recent systematic review suggests that dairy intake is not a determinant of obesity in children 43 . In contrast, variability in portion size of the protein food group was relatively small (IQR = 18 g), however, this equated to a 62 kcal variability across resources.…”