title: Longitudinal evaluation of milk type consumed and weight status in preschoolers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate relationships between type of milk consumed and weight status among preschool children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort, a representative sample of US children.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 700 US children examined at age 2 and 4 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Body mass index (BMI) z score and overweight/obese status as a function of milk type intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of children drank whole or 2% milk (87% at 2 years, 79.3% at 4 years). Across racial/ethnic and socio-economic status subgroups, 1%/skim milk drinkers had higher BMI z scores than 2%/whole milk drinkers. In multivariable analyses, increasing fat content in the type of milk consumed was inversely associated with BMI z score (p<0.0001). Compared to those drinking 2%/whole milk, 2- and 4-year-old children drinking 1%/skim milk had an increased adjusted odds of being overweight (age 2 OR 1.64, p<0.0001; age 4 OR 1.63, p<0.0001) or obese (age 2 OR 1.57, p<0.01; age 4 OR 1.64, p<0.0001). In longitudinal analysis, children drinking 1%/skim milk at both 2 and 4 years were more likely to become overweight/obese between these time points (adjusted OR 1.57, p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumption of 1%/skim milk is more common among overweight/obese preschoolers, potentially reflecting the choice of parents to give overweight/obese children low-fat milk to drink. Nevertheless, 1%/skim milk does not appear to restrain body weight gain between 2 and 4 years of age in this age range, emphasising a need for weight-targeted recommendations with a stronger evidence base.
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental, Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Scharf
authors.forename: Ryan T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Demmer
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: DeBoer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D050177:Overweight / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012923:Social Class; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats