Reversal: Now Milk Doesn't Help With Weight Loss

May 16, 2007
by: Stephanie

The Federal Trade Commission has apparently advised US dairy producers to stop promoting the message that consumption of low fat dairy products spurs weight loss.

An advocacy group, the PCRM, said that two national dairy advertising campaigns overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will stop claiming that dairy products cause weight loss because "such claims are not supported by existing scientific research."

The advocacy organization cited a May 3 letter from FTC, which stated that following discussions with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it would "discontinue all advertising and other marketing activities involving weight loss claims until further research provides stronger more conclusive evidence of an association between dairy consumption and weight loss."

The PCRM claims that since 1989 there have been 35 clinical trials that have explored the relationship between dairy products and/or calcium supplements and body weight. Thirty-one found no relation; two indicated that milk and other dairy products actually contributed to weight gain. When I check the Journal of Clinical Nutrition Archives, the trial results that I viewed did not show any link between dairy consumption and weight.

My take? Always follow the money. Even in healthcare. "Non-profit" is a tax status, not an ethical standing, and even non-profit groups have to make money to pay employees, show membership growth, etc. The National Dairy Council had a job to do – stop the decline in milk consumption, and they used whatever science helped them with their marketing message. Maybe some day the science will show that there is or is not a link between dairy intake and weight loss, but to date it has not been proven.

Posted by: Stephanie

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