Full fat milk consumption protects against severe childhood obesity in Latinos

Abstract

Consumption of non- or low-fat dairy products is recommended as a strategy to lower the risk of childhood obesity. However, recent evidence suggests that consumption of whole fat dairy products may, in fact, be protective against obesity. Our objective was to determine the association between milk fat consumption and severe obesity among three-year-old Latino children, a population with a disproportionate burden of obesity and severe obesity. 24-hour-dietary recalls were conducted to determine child intake in San Francisco based cohort recruited in 2006–7. Mother-child dyads were weighed and measured. The 24-hour recall data was analyzed to determine participants' consumption of whole milk, 2% milk, and 1% milk. The milk consumption data was used to calculate grams of milk fat consumed. The cross-sectional association between milk fat intake and severe obesity (BMI ≥ 99th percentile) was determined using multivariable logistic regression. Data were available for 145 children, of whom 17% were severely obese. Severely obese children had a lower mean intake of milk fat (5.3 g vs. 8.9 g) and fewer drank any milk (79% versus 95% for not severely obese children (p < 0.01)). Among the potential confounders assessed, maternal BMI and maternal marital status were associated with severe obesity and were included in a multivariate model. In the multivariate model, higher milk fat consumption was associated with lower odds of severe obesity (OR 0.88 CI 0.80–0.97). Higher milk fat consumption is associated with lower odds of severe obesity among Latino preschoolers. These results call into question recommendations that promote consumption of lower fat milk.

Trends in Beverage Consumption and Related Demographic Factors and Obesity among Korean Children and Adolescents

“…Moreover, Beck (2017) has shown that higher milk fat consumption is associated with lower correlation with severe obesity among Latino preschoolers [31]. In addition, a number of cross-sectional studies have reported an inverse correlation between BMI or adiposity and dairy product consumption in children, which is lined with our results.…”

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“…It is notable that evidence is accumulating that higher fat, rather than low-fat, dairy is associated with a lower risk of obesity and diabetes, 21 23–25 including several studies that suggest full fat milk is associated with reduced risk of overweight and obesity in children. 25 59 60 …”

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“…Low fat milk and dairy foods are often recommended as health alternatives to reduce energy density and saturated fat intake 383 . However, our finding that full fat milk was negatively associated with body fat percent joins other cross-sectional and prospective studies and literature reviews that call this recommendation into question 138,270,374,375,378,387 .…”