Rosemont, Ill., April 7, 2005 – Women sometimes cite a fear of gaining weight as a reason they don’t consume the recommended 3 servings of dairy foods a day, but a study published today in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that fear is unfounded. In the study, women increased their dairy intake to 3-4 servings a day and maintained a healthy weight.
The study included 135 healthy, normal weight women between the ages of 18 and 30 and monitored their change in body weight, fat mass, and lean mass over a one-year period (1). The women were divided into three groups: a control group that was instructed to continue their usual eating pattern (the equivalent of 1 to 2 dairy servings/day), a “medium dairy” group, and a “high dairy” group who were told to consume dairy products to reach certain calcium intakes, (about 3 and 4 daily servings, respectively). Both dairy groups were instructed to maintain their usual caloric intake throughout the study by substituting dairy foods for other choices. However, since dietary records aren’t always accurate, it is possible that dairy groups didn’t always make those substitutions, but instead sometimes added the dairy foods. Still, the researchers found that after one year there were no significant differences in body weight, fat mass, or lean mass between the control, medium dairy and high dairy groups.
“Public health recommendations should encourage young women to increase consumption of calcium through dairy foods for increased bone mass, without the threat of weight gain,” said lead investigator Dorothy Teegarden, PhD. “Since these women were all at a healthy weight and didn’t lower their caloric intake during the year, you wouldn’t really expect to see a reduction in weight.”
In fact, other studies showed that overweight people on a reduced-calorie diet who consumed 3 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt each day lost significantly more weight and more body fat than those who just cut calories alone while consuming little or no dairy (2,3).
Women may see other health benefits from consuming dairy foods beyond their waistlines. Research shows that consuming at least 3 servings of milk, cheese, or yogurt every day enables people to meet their calcium recommendations and may help reduce the risk of chronic health problems such as osteoporosis and hypertension.
Recently, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended 3 servings a day of calcium-rich milk or dairy foods, such as cheese and yogurt. For more information on the nutritional benefits of dairy foods, visit www.nationaldairycouncil.org. For recipes and tips on how to get 3-A-Day of Dairy, visit www.3aday.org.
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The American Dairy Association/National Dairy Council (ADA/NDC) is managed by Dairy Management Inc., the nonprofit domestic and international planning and management organization responsible for increasing demand for U.S.-produced dairy products on behalf of America’s dairy farmers.
Editor's Note:
For more information about the study or to schedule an interview with a National Dairy Council spokesperson please call the NDC Media Hotline at (312) 240-2880. The NDC Hotline is staffed by a registered dietitian between the hours of 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday, excluding holidays.
Sources:
(1) Gunther, CW et al. Dairy Products do not lead to alterations in body weight and fat mass in young women in a one year intervention. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2005; 81(4):751-756.
(2) Zemel MB, et al. Dietary calcium and dairy products accelerate weight and fat loss during energy restriction in obese adults. Obesity Research. 2004; 12(4): 582-590.
(3) Zemel M.B., et al. Dairy augmentation of total and central fat loss in obese subjects. International Journal of Obesity. January 2005; 29(1): 1-7.