WEDNESDAY, April 2, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Whole and 2 percent milk may be coming back to school lunch trays, more than a decade after being removed to help reduce childhood obesity, The Associated Press reported.
Federal lawmakers have reintroduced bills to allow schools to serve higher-fat milk once again. Since 2012, only skim and 1 percent milk have been allowed in school meals under rules tied to the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.
“Kids need wholesome, nourishing food to grow strong and stay healthy, and whole milk is packed with the nutrients they need,” said Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who is co-sponsoring the measure.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has also voiced his support for whole milk, calling the current low-fat guidelines “antiquated” and encouraging Head Start programs to serve whole milk to young children.
The school lunch rules follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend low-fat or fat-free dairy for everyone older than 2 years of age.
A Senate committee held a hearing on Tuesday on the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which has bipartisan support, The Associated Press said.
Supporters argue that some children do not like the taste of lower-fat milk and end up skipping it, missing out on important nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.
Some research supports the idea that whole milk may help reduce the risk for obesity.
A 2020 review of 28 studies revealed that children who drank whole milk were 40 percent less likely to be overweight, though the study could not prove whether milk was the reason why.
Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., a cardiologist and nutrition expert at Tufts University, said the most recent guidelines panel found “no evidence that whole-fat dairy is worse than low-fat dairy.” It did not recommend a change, however, due to limited data.
“Saturated fat in dairy has not been linked to any adverse health outcomes,” Mozaffarian added. He also pointed out that whole milk is banned in schools, but low-fat chocolate milk with added sugar is still allowed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began limiting added sugars in school foods just last year.
Dairy advocates say the drop in milk consumption among students shows that children are not drinking what is offered.
The USDA and HHS are reviewing a scientific report that will shape the 2025-2030 dietary guidelines. It is not yet clear whether those new guidelines will allow for whole milk again.
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