Milk Is Not Diet Magic
You’ve seen the ads saying you can lose weight by drinking more milk. But many scientists say it’s far from a good bet.
Evidence is piling up that milk and other dairy foods, contrary to what some scientists had hoped, do not dissolve fat — including dangerous belly fat. In fact, they may add pounds.
Kids: A new study from Harvard tracked nearly 13,000 9- to 14-year-olds and found that adolescents who drink more milk tend to gain weight, not lose it. Those who drank the most milk (more than three glasses a day) gained more than those who drank less or none. The conclusion: High intakes of milk, including skim and 1% milk, made kids fatter. Milk, researchers said, may provide too many calories.
Adults: In a new major test, Purdue University researchers had 155 women, ages 18 to 30, eat various amounts of calcium-rich dairy foods for a year. Calorie intake was kept equal. Dairy mattered not: Women who ate lots of dairy, like those who ate less, did not lose weight or body fat. The study was supported by the National Dairy Council.
Overview: At the University of British Columbia, 26 related studies were reviewed. Of nine dairy-product studies, two found greater weight gain in the dairy-supplemented group. Of 17 calcium studies, only one found more weight loss in the supplemented group. Neal Barnard, of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, says that when dairy eaters have lost weight, they cut calories, too.
Bottom line: This doesn’t mean you have to shun dairy products, which provide valuable protein and calcium. But don’t think they’re weight-loss aids.
This EatSmart column is reprinted from USAWEEKEND Magazine and is copyrighted by Jean Carper. It cannot be reprinted without permission from Jean Carper.
