Will Dairy Products Help You Lose Weight?

The dairy industry has recently claimed that drinking milk and consuming other dairy products, especially skim and low-fat varieties, would help overweight people lose excess poundage. However, research does not support such claims. According to Reuters Health, commercials that market dairy products as a tangible aid for dieters are misleading and untrue.

Dr. Amy Joy pointed out that the published scientific research does not support the idea that milk and other dairy products, including skim milk or even dairy-derived calcium supplements, can be helpful in facilitating weight loss.

Forty nine clinical studies examining the effect of dairy products and calcium on weight loss have been carefully reviewed before arriving to this conclusion. According to Assistant Professor Dr. Lanou of the University of North Carolina, the analysis of these trials show that, in overwhelming majority of cases, milk, dairy and calcium supplements have NO effect on weight. In two cases, a significant increase in weight has been observed, and only in five cases overweight individuals showed some decrease in their BMI following a diet full of milk and other dairy products. In the latter cases, however, the weight loss can be attributed to other factors, such as an increase in exercise and physical activity, a diet of low-calorie foods, and a greater consumption of vegetables, fruits, and other fibre-rich products.

At the end, the researchers have arrived to the conclusion and an increased consumption of milk, dairy, and calcium supplements does not promote weight loss but, in some cases, can have an opposite effect of stimulating weight gain. The results of the analysis have been published in the journal Nutrition Reviews.

Such conclusion should not be surprising, Dr. Lanou said, since milk is designed by nature to promote a rapid gain of weight in mammals. Therefore, we should not expect that such nutrient-dense food, loaded with fats, proteins, carbohydrates and calories, can be anyhow helpful in facilitating weight loss in humans.

The scientists’ weight-loss suggestion is to switch from milk to drinking plain water and from eating calorie-dense foods to opting for more fruits and veggies. By cutting down calories, including those from milk, milk shakes, cream, cheese and butter, and by choosing a diet of whole grains, beans and other plant foods, overweight and obese people can jump-start the process of weight loss.

Kim Suffolk

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