CU researchers find dairy shrinks waist size

Dairy foods could be the key to losing that spare tyre for good. Milk, cheese and yogurt may not be the first foods that come to mind when dieting, however, eating more dairy foods may actually help shrink your waist.

New research, published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, showed that a higher dairy consumption was associated with greater weight loss and a greater decrease in waist circumference.

Scientists from the University of Colorado implemented a 16 week weight-loss program, measuring daily serves of dairy and average daily steps of 191 adults.

They found that the participants who consumed a higher number of dairy serves lost more weight, and had greater decreases in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference than participants with lower dairy intakes.

Those who consumed higher levels of dairy foods lost weight regardless of their level of physical activity.

The study supports previous clinical trials which showed that the inclusion of three daily serves of dairy in a weight-reducing diet leads to substantially more weight and body fat loss than a similar diet that only includes one daily serve of dairy .

Dairy Australia dietitian Glenys Kerrins said: "The study shows that dairy food is not only important for healthy bones, but may also help dieters achieve their weight loss goals."

"Unfortunately many people exclude dairy foods when trying to lose weight, and in doing so miss out on a valuable source of calcium and other essential nutrients. These results support recommendations to include dairy foods in weight management which is great news for dairy lovers," she said.

References:

Wyatt HR, et al. Weight loss in a community initiative that promotes decreased energy intake and increased physical activity and dairy consumption: calcium weighs-in. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 2008; 5: 28-44.
Zemel MB, et al. Calcium and dairy acceleration of weight and fat loss during energy restriction in obese adults. Obesity Research. 2004; 12: 582-90.

(Source: Dairy Australia: March 2008)