A small University of Toronto trial found that adults with overweight or obesity who ate three servings of full-fat dairy a day did not fare worse on weight, body composition or blood cholesterol than a group that mostly avoided dairy. Blood pressure was better in the dairy groups. It is one modest study, but it adds to a debate about whether the old “choose low-fat” rule still deserves to be a rule.
What the researchers did
The randomized trial enrolled 74 adults with overweight or obesity and ran for 12 weeks. Participants were split into three groups: one followed a calorie-restricted diet with little dairy, one ate three daily servings of dairy on an energy-neutral diet, and one ate three servings with no specific calorie restriction. Everyone received guidance based on Canada’s food guide, and the researchers supplied the full-fat dairy. The work was led by Gerald Harvey Anderson, a nutritional sciences professor at the University of Toronto, and appeared in The Journal of Nutrition.
What they found
According to the summary on ScienceDaily, the three-serving groups showed no meaningful differences in weight gain, body composition or blood cholesterol compared with the low-dairy group. The higher-dairy groups also had improved blood pressure and took in more calcium, protein and vitamin D. Anderson said those eating three servings did not show adverse blood cholesterol or lipid levels, or evidence of insulin resistance.
The team points to the “dairy matrix” as a possible explanation: in milk and cheese, proteins such as casein and whey are bound together with fat, and that structure may change how the body handles it. That idea was offered as a hypothesis here, not something this trial tested.
The catch
The study was small and lasted only three months, and the authors say longer and larger studies are needed. It did not show whether eating dairy for years raises or lowers the risk of diabetes, heart disease or other chronic conditions. The research was funded by an agricultural program supporting dairy research, along with a Canadian innovation agency, so it is worth watching for independent replication.
What it means for your fridge
This does not say everyone should pile on cheese. Dairy adds calories, and what you eat it instead of matters. What it does suggest is that full-fat yogurt or milk is not automatically a worse pick than the low-fat version for people who prefer it. Anderson’s own summary was plain: keep it simple, eat a variety of foods and not too much of anything.
If you have heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol or other conditions, your doctor’s dietary advice still comes first.
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Sources
- ScienceDaily: For Decades, We Were Told to Avoid Full-Fat Dairy. New Research Says Otherwise
- The Journal of Nutrition (2026; 156(4): 101373)
This article is for general information, not medical advice.