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Healthy Weight
The number of Australians who are overweight or obese has reached an all time high, with around 64% of men, 47% of women and 25% of children above a healthy weight.

Research has shown that around 50% of women aged 18-65 years are actively trying to lose weightⁱ . Often women become caught in a lifestyle of ‘yo-yo’ dietingⁱⁱ . This refers to a cycle of dieting when people may successfully lose weight, but cannot maintain the lower weight in the long term, so they begin to regain the weight and more. The dieter then seeks to lose the weight, and the cycle begins again.

There is no miracle way to lose excess weight. Ultimately, the only way to lose weight permanently is to burn more energy (from your metabolism and physical activity) than you take in (from food and drinks). A total weight loss of 5-10% is a practical goal and can result in significant health gains.

Healthy weight with low-fat dairy food
Many people cut out dairy food when they are trying to lose weight - mistakenly believing these foods to be fattening. According to a recent Australian survey, around 50 per cent of women are concerned dairy could increase their weight and cut back or avoid them altogether, especially when dietingⁱⁱⁱ .

This can mean missing out on the important nutrients found naturally in dairy food. Milk, cheese and yogurt provide not only calcium, but are rich in many other essential nutrients including protein, potassium, riboflavin and vitamin B12. Milk and yogurt in particular provide a useful amount of nutrients for relatively few kilojoules. Dairy foods are a great choice for low energy diets. 

Milk, cheese and yogurt provide us with protein, so this makes them filling, hunger-busting snack choices.  Choosing dairy-based snacks makes it easier to get in the recommended three serves of dairy each day.

There is a wide choice of dairy foods that are suitable for a reduced-kilojoule diet, especially low-fat, reduced fat and no-fat varieties. See the table below for a nutritional breakdown of these choices. 

Approx. fat
percentage (%)

Emerging research about dairy food and weight loss
Emerging research from three US* clinical trials in overweight and obese people who generally consume little dairy, has shown that including three serves of calcium-rich dairy foods every day as part of a reduced-kilojoule diet increases the chance of losing weight and body fat, compared to a similar diet that only includes one daily serve of dairy food or less. 

The dairy food used in these studies was milk, cheese and yogurt (mostly lower-fat varieties† or no-fat in the case of yogurt).

The research
One six-month study^iv involved two groups of adults who were trying to lose weight. All participants reduced their daily kilojoule intake by the same amount (about 2000 kilojoules or 500 calories).
They recorded everything they ate in a diary and discussed this when they met with their dietitian each week. The two groups were similar in every way, except for one important difference. The people in the first group consumed 3 serves of lower fat dairy food‡ each day as part of their reduced-kilojoule diet, while those in the second group had one serve or less.

The people who consumed 3 serves of dairy food‡ each day, on average, lost more weight and lost substantially more body fat than the second group, who did not consume 3 serves a day . Another study^v which included 3 serves of no-fat yogurt each day in a reduced-kilojoule diet showed remarkably similar results. A third study^vi among African Americans adds to the evidence that including 3 serves of dairy and following a kilojoule restriction promotes weight loss and body fat loss.

All of the studies involved adults who were motivated to lose weight. Commitment seems to be an important factor. The 3 serves of dairy food per day must form part of a reduced-kilojoule diet, and you must be sufficiently motivated to stick with the diet. Of course, as with any weight loss plan, exercising regularly is important.

In addition, at least 10 observational studies in adults from around the world suggest that regular consumption of dairy food, or the nutrients provided by dairy foods, is one factor that may be associated with leanness.

Why does dairy food help as part of a reduced-calorie diet?
The precise explanation of how increasing low-fat dairy food in a reduced-kilojoule diet may affect weight loss and body fat loss is not fully resolved however researchers are investigating how this may occur. Scientists think that calcium and other nutrients in dairy food may change the amount of fat the body stores and the way the body uses fat.

This may be by:

• increasing the amount of fat your body burns when on a reduced-kilojoule diet^vii
• decreased fat absorption from the gastrointestinal tract,
• using energy for forming muscle in the body
• increased protein content from a high dairy food diet, resulting in lower energy intake because it is more filling and satisfying than a high carbohydrate diet.

What can I do if I want to increase my chance of losing weight?
If you are trying to lose excess weight and keep it off:

• Eat sensibly for life
• Eat less so that you consume fewer kilojoules – particularly energy dense foods that are nutrient-poor
• Undertake regular physical activity
• Include 3 serves of dairy food every day in your reduced-kilojoule diet
• Choose lower-fat varieties of dairy food: no-fat, low-fat and/or reduced-fat choices.

If you’re concerned about your weight, you should talk to your doctor or an Accredited Practising Dietitian. An Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) can assist you develop a healthy eating plan and make lifestyle changes that best suit you. See www.daa.asn.au for more information.

But you don’t need to go to the doctor to start enjoying 3 serves of dairy food a day. One serve of dairy is equal to a 250mL glass of milk, a 200g tub of yogurt or two slices of cheese (40g). Why not try some tasty, low-fat recipes? Click here and make dairy part of your well-balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.