200 Participants Needed

Whole vs Nonfat Milk for Childhood Obesity

DL
Overseen ByDonna L Lesperance, MA, MPH
Age: < 18
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: Boston Children's Hospital
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study will evaluate the effects of whole vs. nonfat milk consumption on body composition, cardiometabolic disease risk factors, and dietary quality.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that participants do not use any medication or dietary supplement that could affect the study outcomes, so you may need to stop taking certain medications.

Is it safe for children to consume whole or nonfat milk?

Research suggests that whole milk is not associated with increased weight gain or health risks in children, and it may even be linked to lower body fat. Most studies indicate that whole milk does not increase the risk of heart-related issues, although switching to reduced-fat milk might improve some health factors in certain cases.12345

How does the treatment of whole vs nonfat milk differ from other treatments for childhood obesity?

This treatment is unique because it explores the impact of milk fat content on childhood obesity, with some studies suggesting that whole milk might be protective against obesity, contrary to the common recommendation of consuming nonfat or low-fat milk to reduce obesity risk.12367

What data supports the effectiveness of whole vs nonfat milk as a treatment for childhood obesity?

Research suggests that children who consume whole milk tend to have lower levels of body fat and are less likely to be severely obese compared to those who consume nonfat or low-fat milk. This indicates that whole milk might be protective against obesity in children.12689

Who Is on the Research Team?

DS

David Ludwig, MD PhD

Principal Investigator

Boston Children's Hospital

CB

Cara B Ebbeling, PhD

Principal Investigator

Boston Children's Hospital

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for children aged 9 to 12 with a BMI in the top 15% for their age and sex, living near Boston. It's not for those planning to move or be away long-term, with certain abnormal lab tests, major weight changes recently, on special diets, if someone at home is also in the study, or with milk allergies or serious health issues.

Inclusion Criteria

Residence in the Greater Boston catchment area
I am between 9 and 12 years old.
My BMI is in the top 25% for my age and sex.

Exclusion Criteria

Aversion to nonfat or whole milk
I have a major illness, eating disorder, or milk allergy (but not lactose intolerance).
Plans to move away from the Greater Boston catchment area during the study period
See 6 more

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants are randomly assigned to consume either whole milk or nonfat milk, 3 cups per day, for 1 year

52 weeks
3 visits (baseline, 6 months, 12 months)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in body composition and cardiometabolic risk factors after the treatment period

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

  • Nonfat Milk
  • Whole Milk
Trial Overview The study compares the effects of drinking whole milk versus nonfat milk on kids' body fat and muscle composition. It also looks at how these milks affect risks for heart disease, obesity-related conditions like diabetes, and overall diet quality.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Whole milkExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
3 cups a day of whole milk for 1 year
Group II: Nonfat milkExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
3 cups a day of nonfat milk for 1 year

Nonfat Milk is already approved in United States, European Union, Canada for the following indications:

🇺🇸
Approved in United States as Nonfat Milk for:
  • General nutrition
  • Cardiovascular health
🇪🇺
Approved in European Union as Skim Milk for:
  • General nutrition
  • Weight management
🇨🇦
Approved in Canada as Fat-Free Milk for:
  • General nutrition
  • Cardiovascular health

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Boston Children's Hospital

Lead Sponsor

Trials
801
Recruited
5,584,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study of 145 Latino preschoolers, higher consumption of milk fat was linked to lower odds of severe obesity, suggesting that whole fat dairy may be protective against obesity in this population.
Severely obese children consumed less milk fat (5.3 g) compared to their non-severely obese peers (8.9 g), indicating that promoting lower fat milk may not be beneficial for preventing obesity in young children.
Full fat milk consumption protects against severe childhood obesity in Latinos.Beck, AL., Heyman, M., Chao, C., et al.[2023]
The Cow's Milk Fat Obesity pRevention Trial will involve 534 children aged 2 to 4-5 years to compare the effects of whole milk versus reduced fat milk on body fat and overall health over 24 months.
This study aims to provide evidence on whether whole milk can help minimize excess body fat and improve nutrition in children, potentially influencing future dietary guidelines to combat childhood obesity.
Cow's Milk Fat Obesity pRevention Trial (CoMFORT): a primary care embedded randomised controlled trial protocol to determine the effect of cow's milk fat on child adiposity.Vanderhout, SM., Aglipay, M., Birken, C., et al.[2023]
A comprehensive review of 94 studies found that milk and dairy products are generally not associated with obesity in children, and in some cases, they may even be inversely related to body fatness.
The review suggests that there are no significant differences in the effects of various types of milk or dairy products on obesity, and it concludes that there is little evidence to justify limiting dairy consumption in children due to concerns about weight gain.
A critical review of the role of milk and other dairy products in the development of obesity in children and adolescents.Dougkas, A., Barr, S., Reddy, S., et al.[2020]

Citations

Full fat milk consumption protects against severe childhood obesity in Latinos. [2023]
Cow's Milk Fat Obesity pRevention Trial (CoMFORT): a primary care embedded randomised controlled trial protocol to determine the effect of cow's milk fat on child adiposity. [2023]
A critical review of the role of milk and other dairy products in the development of obesity in children and adolescents. [2020]
Associations between Dairy Intake, Body Composition, and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Spanish Schoolchildren: The Cuenca Study. [2020]
Calcium and dairy intake and measures of obesity in hyper- and normocholesterolemic children. [2013]
Dairy intakes at age 10 years do not adversely affect risk of excess adiposity at 13 years. [2023]
Inverse association between body mass and frequency of milk consumption in children. [2019]
Whole-Fat or Reduced-Fat Dairy Product Intake, Adiposity, and Cardiometabolic Health in Children: A Systematic Review. [2023]
Whole milk compared with reduced-fat milk and childhood overweight: a systematic review and meta-analysis. [2023]
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