A growing body of emerging evidence indicates that dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt across a variety of fat levels may contribute to cardiometabolic health, including body composition outcomes.

A recent example is a peer reviewed study published this month in the journal Nutrition Research that my National Dairy Council nutrition research colleagues and I led. It was a cross-sectional analysis of 43,038 adults aged 20 and older. Our findings revealed that consuming whole milk was associated with improved body composition outcomes such as lower body weight, a reduced waistline, and a lower prevalence of obesity.

Some of the key study findings include:

Weight and waist circumference outcomes: The study found that adults who consumed whole milk had lower body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. Study participants reported consuming an average of 1 to 1.4 cups of whole milk per day. For every 8-ounce cup of whole milk consumed, the study showed a reduction of approximately 3 pounds of weight, a decline in BMI of 0.5 units, and a reduction of 1 centimeter in waist circumference. This relationship was observed across most demographic groups, including both men and women.

General diet and health impact: The study used diverse, nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 2001 and 2018. Our results revealed that the links between whole milk consumption and improved body composition outcomes are consistent with other studies examining cardiometabolic health.

Because this study was a cross-sectional design, which can show a link or association but not a cause-and-effect relationship like a clinical trial, more research is needed to fully understand how whole milk consumption impacts cardiometabolic health, including obesity risk.

However, for those already consuming whole milk, these findings linking whole milk and weight management offers insight into how some fat-containing, nutrient-dense foods may have a place in a calorie balanced, healthy eating plan.

As nutrition science continues to evolve, this research adds to the emerging body of evidence indicating there may be room for greater dairy fat flexibility for milk, cheese, and yogurt, underscoring the need for further investigation.