Press Releases

New Study Confirms Weight Loss Benefits of Consuming Dairy

PHILADELPHIA (March 6, 2007) – Young women who consume at least three servings of dairy a day over a long-term period may gain less body fat than those who consume fewer than three servings a day, according to a new Purdue University study recently published in the medical journal Obesity.

The study found that young, normal-weight women who consumed at least 1,000 to 1,400 mg of dairy calcium a day had decreased fat mass compared to women consuming low dairy/calcium diets. The researchers concluded that increasing dietary calcium through dairy products for a longer period of time may prevent fat mass accumulation in young, healthy, normal-weight women.

“This study further strengthens our primary nutrition education and marketing message to the public to consume three servings of dairy a day,” said Anne Marie Krautheim, a registered dietitian and senior vice president of nutrition and health promotion for National Dairy Council®, the nutrition research and education arm of the dairy checkoff. “This scientific research helps build public awareness of the need to consume three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt a day as part of a healthy diet.”

The study also contains important information on changing the dietary behavior of young women and their ability to maintain a healthy change for a longer-term benefit. Results indicate that the women continued to eat higher amounts of mainly fat-free and lowfat calcium-rich dairy foods for at least six months once they had established this dietary habit during the previous year.

“This study adds support to the growing body of research about dairy’s role in weight loss and weight management,” said Paul Rovey, an Arizona dairy producer and chairman of Dairy Management Inc.™, which manages the national dairy checkoff. “Nutrition research and the communication of that research, funded in part by dairy producers through their checkoff investment, helps form lifelong dairy consumers by reinforcing dairy’s role as part of a healthy diet. 

National, state and regional dairy promotion staff is spreading the word about the study outcome through the media and ongoing communications to health professionals and other leaders. 

Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association is the local dairy-farmer funded regional promotion organization responsible for increasing milk and dairy product demand throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™, the national dairy promotion organization, to implement dairy promotion, education and research programs locally. For more information, visit www.dairyspot.com.