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Nutrition News Alerts

Weighty Consequences for Kids Who Skimp on Dairy

Results from the Framingham Children’s Study show that children ages 3 to 6, with the lowest daily intakes of dairy, gained significantly more body fat throughout childhood than their peers who consumed adequate amounts of dairy.  Research looked at the dairy intakes (from diet records) of 99 children ages 3 to 6 enrolled in the Framingham Children’s Study and followed their height, weight and measures of body fat into adolescence.

In addition to gaining more body fat, children with the lowest dairy intakes (less than 1.25 servings/day for girls; less than 1.7 servings/day for boys) at ages 3 to 6 had a higher body mass index (BMI) by the time they reached early adolescence (ages 10 to 13), putting them at higher risk of becoming overweight adults. 

Although body fat was lowest in children consuming the most dairy foods, regardless of fat level, the lowest body fat was seen in adolescents who consumed 1¾ servings or more per day of reduced-fat dairy foods.  Since the beneficial relationship between dairy intake and BMI/body fat were not explained by calcium or magnesium intake, other components in dairy foods may play a role in body weight/fat regulation.  The authors conclude that young children who fail to meet dairy recommendations may have the added risk of gaining excess body fat.

Moore, LL, et al.  Low dairy intake in early childhood predicts excess body fat gain. Obesity. 2006; 14: 1010-1018.

Editor’s Note: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends three age-appropriate servings of dairy per day for children ages 1 to 8 and four servings of dairy per day for those 9 to18 years of age, to meet calcium recommendations.

Scientific synopsis provided by Bonnie Johnson, MS, RD, Dairy Council of Utah/Nevada