Take children off full-fat milk after the age of two, say experts

Take children off full-fat milk after the age of two, say experts

By Sean Poulter
Last updated at 7:56 AM on 10th February 2009


The Food Standards Agency recommends children drinking skimmed milk to avoid clogging their arteries

Children should be stopped from drinking full-fat milk from the age of two to prevent clogged arteries and heart disease in later life, the Government's Food Standards Agency will say today.

There are concerns that youngsters of five are showing higher blood fat levels - an early indicator of heart problems - than they were 20 years ago.

The agency, which also wants the nation to eat less cheese, butter, cream, pies, cakes, red meat, sausages, burgers and pate, has launched a campaign aimed at parents to drive a fundamental shift away from saturated fat.

Saturated fat, which is found in dairy and red meat, causes clogged arteries which is blamed for around a third of the 200,000 premature deaths from heart disease each year.

Adults are eating an average of 800g (1.75lb) of saturated fat a month, a fifth more than the recommended maximum.
The post-war generation was raised on full-fat milk, which was considered so nutritious it was given away free in schools for decades.

However, children of that generation were also healthier and slimmer because they took part in a lot more physical activity, while there was less access to processed junk food.

FSA nutrition chief Dr Rosemary Hignett said that, on average, people get 13.3 per cent of their energy from saturated fat, against a maximum recommended figure of 11 per cent.

Normal whole dairy milk is 3.5 per cent saturated fat. Semi-skimmed, which accounts for 60 per cent of all sales, has 1.5 per cent, while many stores now offer a 1 per cent fat milk. Skimmed milk has only trace levels.

All these milk options contain the same amount of calcium, which is vital for growing bones and teeth.

Dr Hignett said: 'For small children, up to the age of two, it is particularly important to have a sufficient level of fat in the diet. But as we move to older age groups, our concerns turn to them not becoming obese and not starting to build up clogged arteries.'

Asked what age children should stop drinking full-fat milk, Dr Hignett said: 'After two.'

She added: 'After that age, it is perfectly fine to start moving to semi-skimmed and 1 per cent milk.'



Once arteries are clogged there is little chance that the problem can be reversed.

Dr Hignett said: 'It is a good idea to start as soon as possible with healthy eating. That is the key message. The sooner you do it, the better.'

Advice to cut down on full-fat milk also extends to cheese and butter.

Agency chief executive Tim Smith said: 'Cheese is one of the biggest contributors to our saturated fat intake . . . since that leads directly to the heart problems, it is pretty important we find ways to cut down.'

But Dr Judith Bryans, of the Dairy Council, which promotes milk, cream and cheese, defended giving whole milk to children.

She said: 'National guidelines for milk consumption and children as recommended by the Department of Health are that children between the ages of one year and two years should have whole milk.

'Over the age of two years if a child is a good and varied eater they can have semi-skimmed milk. But if they are a poor eater they can continue to have whole milk.'

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1140244/Take-children-fat-milk-age-say-experts.html