You've been hearing about it in the news and in the dairy council's advertising - claims that dairy products help in weight loss. Is it true?

Related Articles

Calcium needs by age group

Get calcium in your diet

Protect your bones as you age

Calcium may reduce PMS symptoms in some women

The Dairy Council studies of lab animals over a 20-year period suggest that those who eat both a low-calorie diet and low-fat or non-fat dairy products experience twice the weight loss of those who only eat a low-calorie diet.


The researcher on these studies told MSNBC that "Calcium is no magic bullet." But, he suggested, "higher-calcium diets favor burning rather than storing fat. Calcium changes the efficiency of weight loss."


The U.S. government says this is maybe true, maybe not, because larger studies don't show weight loss. It says the Dairy Council's claims are premature but concedes that calcium may help to regulate body fat. Right now it's too soon to tell.