Dairy Consumption for Weight Management

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Shekoufeh Salamat, Ph.D.

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Toronto

Must not be taking: Prebiotics, Probiotics, others

Disqualifiers: Smoking, Thyroid problems, CVDs, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

Duration: 24 weeks

240 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to explore how increased dairy consumption affects weight, body fat, and overall health in overweight adolescents and older adults who are prediabetic. Participants will be divided into two groups: one will consume three servings of dairy daily, while the other will maintain their usual diet with limited dairy. The trial seeks to determine if dairy can aid in managing weight and health. It is suitable for teens aged 14-17 or older adults aged 60-75 who are overweight, prediabetic, and currently consume little dairy. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding dairy's role in health management.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you are using any prescription or non-prescription drugs, herbal or nutritional supplements that might affect the study's outcome, you may be excluded from participating.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that increasing dairy intake is generally safe for most people. For instance, one study found that drinking about one extra cup of milk a day could reduce the risk of heart problems, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke. Another study suggested that eating more dairy might help lower the risk of becoming overweight or obese.

However, while some studies show benefits, others do not find a significant effect on body weight or fat management. This indicates that dairy's impact can vary among individuals. Overall, dairy is considered safe and has not shown major safety concerns in these studies.

For those who already consume dairy without issues, having a bit more is unlikely to cause problems. However, individuals with lactose intolerance or a dairy allergy should consult a doctor before changing their diet. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the potential of increasing dairy intake for weight management because it offers a simple and accessible approach to addressing weight issues. Unlike typical weight management strategies that often involve strict calorie restrictions or complex meal plans, this method focuses on incorporating three servings of dairy into the daily diet. This approach could be less burdensome and easier for individuals to maintain over time. Moreover, dairy products are rich in essential nutrients like calcium and protein, which might support overall health while potentially aiding in weight regulation. If effective, this method could provide a straightforward dietary intervention with added nutritional benefits.

What evidence suggests that increasing dairy intake might be effective for weight management?

This trial will compare different levels of dairy consumption for weight management. Studies have shown that increased dairy intake can lead to weight gain and more muscle in teenagers. Research suggests that calcium-rich dairy foods might help prevent overweight conditions and support weight loss in young people. However, other studies found no major effect on weight when dairy is part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. For older adults, some research indicates that drinking whole milk could be linked to lower body weight and less obesity. Yet, a review of several studies found no clear evidence that more dairy leads to weight or fat loss in seniors. Overall, dairy's effects can vary based on age and lifestyle. Participants in this trial will be divided into groups based on age and dairy intake to further explore these effects. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

G Harvey Anderson, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of Toronto

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for overweight and prediabetic adolescents aged 14-17, as well as older adults aged 60-75. Participants must be willing to follow a high or low dairy diet and attend biweekly sessions with a dietitian. They should also be able to visit the Nutrition Intervention Center every six weeks for health assessments.

Inclusion Criteria

I am either 14-17 years old or 60-75 years old.

My BMI is slightly above average for my age group.

I can avoid alcohol for 24 hours before each test visit.

Exclusion Criteria

I am not taking any drugs or supplements that could affect the study results.

I am not pregnant, breastfeeding, and have been postmenopausal for over a year or I am not on hormonal treatments.

Fasting BG ≥ 7mmol/L

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants are divided into high-dairy and low-dairy groups, with biweekly sessions with a dietitian and assessments at weeks 0, 12, and 24

24 weeks

3 visits (in-person) at weeks 0, 12, and 24; biweekly virtual sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Increasing Dairy intake

Trial Overview The study tests how three daily servings of dairy affect weight, body composition, and metabolic health over six months compared to usual diets with minimal dairy. It involves regular check-ins and detailed health assessments at the University of Toronto.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention arm, Dairy Group- Seniors Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The participants in the intervention group will consume 3 servings of dairy per day.

Group II: Intervention arm, Dairy Group- Adolescents Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The participants in the intervention group will consume 3 servings of dairy per day.

Group III: Control arm, Low Dairy- Adolescents Active Control 1 Intervention

The participants in the control group will be asked to maintain their usual diet and dairy intake, involving consuming ≤1 serving of dairy per day.

Group IV: Control arm, Low Dairy- Seniors Active Control 1 Intervention

The participants in the control group will be asked to maintain their usual diet and dairy intake, involving consuming ≤1 serving of dairy per day.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Toronto

Lead Sponsor

Trials

739

Recruited

1,125,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5402032/

The effect of increasing dairy calcium intake of adolescent ... Considerable evidence exists for the efficacy of a diet high in calcium, particularly dairy foods, in preventing overweight and facilitating weight loss in ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322003933

Effects of Milk and Milk-Product Consumption on Growth ... Our meta-analysis of RCTs showed that milk and milk-product intake increased body weight and lean mass among children and adolescents. A potential mechanism is ...

3. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/11/1703

The Influence of Increased Dairy Product Consumption, as ... Our study examined how increased dairy consumption versus habitually low dairy consumption, against a background of healthy eating (and exercise), influenced ...

4. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.673589/full

Neutral Effect of Increased Dairy Product Intake, as Part ... Our findings demonstrate that increased dairy product consumption, as part of a lifestyle modification, weight management intervention, had a neutral effect on ...

5. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41430-025-01639-5

Association between dairy intake and multiple health ... Overall, 13 associations showed a reduced risk of poor health outcomes, four found neutral results, and one indicated an increased risk.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3441106/

Effects of dairy intake on body weight and fat: a meta-analysis ... In conclusion, our meta-analysis does not support the beneficial effect of increasing dairy consumption on body weight and fat management in long-term studies ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523119216

Dairy consumption in association with weight change and ... In multivariable-adjusted analyses, lower risk of becoming overweight or obese was observed in the highest quintile of high-fat dairy product intake (HR: 0.92, ...

8. nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-020-00527-y

Milk consumption and multiple health outcomes: umbrella ... An increment of 200 ml (approximately 1 cup) milk intake per day was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, hypertension, colorectal ...

9. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/7/394

Dairy Intake Enhances Body Weight and Composition ... Increased dairy intake as part of energy restricted diets resulted in greater loss in bodyweight and fat mass while attenuating lean mass loss in 18–50-year- ...

10. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/486041

Milk, Dairy Fat, Dietary Calcium, and Weight Gain In conclusion, increases in milk consumption are widely promoted as a way of controlling weight gain, but long-term studies in children are few. Our ...