The University of California’s Nutrition Policy Institute launches a year-long study involving 500 toddlers to compare the effects of whole milk and 1% milk on early childhood development, aiming to inform evolving dietary recommendations.
The University of California’s Nutrition Policy Institute is recruiting families of 23- to 30-month-old children for a year-long study that will compare the effects of whole milk and 1% milk on toddler health, growth and development. The project, known as Milk Type in Toddlers, or Milk TOT, is open to households in Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Valley, and participants will receive milk at no cost. The institute says the aim is to generate stronger evidence for parents and clinicians at a time when official guidance on milk for young children remains unsettled.
That uncertainty has widened in recent years. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long advised moving children from whole milk to lower-fat options after age 2 to limit saturated fat and calorie intake. But the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA, place greater emphasis on whole milk for children of all ages. Kassandra Bacon, a policy analyst with the institute, said more research is needed to determine which option is best for young children, while Ryan Williams, another project analyst and registered dietitian, said the study will track each child for 12 months.
Researchers plan to enrol about 500 toddlers and will measure height, weight, waist and head circumference, while also asking families about the rest of the child’s diet. The children will be assigned to either whole milk or 1% milk and will receive deliveries through a grocery service. Families will also be asked to attend lab visits for blood tests and assessments covering lipids, cholesterol, insulin resistance, vitamin D, cognitive development and gut microbiome diversity. The institute says parents will receive advice from a registered dietitian, monthly health newsletters and up to $275 in gift cards for completing the study.
The project is being led by Lorrene Ritchie, emeritus UC Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist and former director of the Nutrition Policy Institute, along with Anisha Patel, a paediatrician at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and professor of general paediatrics at Stanford University. It is primarily funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, with additional support from the California Dairy Research Foundation. Children must have medical insurance, live with a participating parent or guardian in one of 21 counties and have a parent or guardian who speaks English or Spanish. The study excludes toddlers who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk protein.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
