Should I choose low fat dairy products if I'm trying to lose weight?

Last updated 31/01/2025

Science has come a long way to overturn the theory that you need to eat low fat foods to lose weight. When it comes to dairy foods, evidence supports the consumption of both regular and reduced fat milk, cheese and yoghurt for good health.

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has found no link between eating milk, yoghurt or cheese and weight gain or risk of obesity in adults, regardless of the fat content.

When trying to lose weight through a calorie-controlled diet, studies show including at least three serves of milk, yoghurt or cheese a day can help people lose more weight and more body fat compared to people who eat less dairy foods.

This is due to the package of nutrients in dairy foods and complex nutrient interactions that come with eating whole foods in the context of a balanced diet.

Evidence supports the consumption of both regular and reduced fat dairy foods for good health.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend choosing mostly reduced fat dairy foods. This means 50% of dairy foods you eat should come from reduced fat varieties.

This recommendation is not related to the health benefits of reduced fat compared to regular fat dairy foods, rather it simply focuses on the overall calorie content of the diet to ensure we don't exceed our energy requirements.