Full-Fat Milk Vs Low-Fat Milk: Norway Study Reveals Milk Type That Increases Heart Disease Risk

Of course, we all love a cup of creamy, rich coffee made with that full-fat milk, but a sweeping Norwegian study, following nearly 74,000 people for over three decades, has revealed something coffee lovers would not be quite happy about. The 33-year study says that when it comes to heart health and long-term survival, low-fat milk seems to edge out its creamier version. How the Study Came AboutBack in the 1970s, Norway was a nation of whole milk drinkers. If you wanted low-fat milk, good luck; it was not yet the trend. Fast-forward to the 1980s, and the shelves began to change. Low-fat milk started making its way into fridges across the country, creating a natural split in drinking habits.This shift turned out to be the perfect accidental experiment. Health experts collected cardiovascular screening data between 1974 and 1988 from 73,860 adults, with an average age of 41. Then, they tracked these individuals for a whopping 33 years, noting who drank what and how it correlated with long-term health outcomes.Over the course of the study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there were 26,393 recorded deaths, including 8,590 from cardiovascular disease. That may sound grim, but these numbers offered an invaluable treasure trove of insight into how milk type might influence longevity.What They FoundWhen the data was churned, the pattern was hard to ignore. Those who drank full-fat milk regularly had a higher risk of dying from all causes, particularly heart-related issues, compared to those who drank low-fat milk.Specifically:Low-fat milk drinkers had an 11 per cent lower risk of death from any cause compared to full-fat milk drinkers.They also had a 7 per cent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.And when milk quantity was factored in, the numbers got even more telling. People who drank the most milk overall, particularly full-fat, had a 22 per cent higher risk of death from any cause and a 12 per cent higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to those who drank the least.In short, the richer the milk, the less forgiving the statistics.Why Full-Fat Milk Might Be RiskierFull-fat milk is loaded with saturated fat, the same type the NHS warns against in high amounts. Saturated fat can push up cholesterol levels, which in turn clogs arteries, hikes up heart attack risk, and makes strokes more likely.The study’s conclusions align perfectly with NHS guidelines, which encourage limiting saturated fat from dairy and other sources. The logic is simple: less saturated fat in your diet, less pressure on your heart.It is Not All About the MilkIt is worth noting that lifestyle differences also played a role. In this study, people who preferred low-fat milk were more likely to be women, non-smokers, and have higher levels of education. Whole milk drinkers were more likely to be current smokers, which, unsurprisingly, is not a heart-friendly habit.However, even after adjusting for such factors, the milk-fat connection remained. This means that while lifestyle habits do matter, the fat content of your milk still independently influenced health outcomes.Lessons From Norway’s 33-Year Dairy DiarySwitching from full-fat to low-fat milk can modestly improve your chances of living longer.The benefit applies not only to your overall lifespan but also specifically to reducing the odds of dying from heart disease.While lifestyle factors like smoking can skew results, the link between saturated fat in milk and heart risk holds firm even after accounting for them.The Burning Question: Should You Completely Stop Consuming the Full-Fat Milk?If you are healthy and active and drink full-fat milk occasionally, the occasional indulgence would not single-handedly be problematic for your heart. But if it is a daily staple, the data suggests it is worth making the switch or at least alternating with low-fat options.Note that it was not a quick lab experiment or a small-scale survey. The study was an over-three-decade-long national health record, meticulously followed, revealing that when it comes to milk and heart health, the lighter choice has the upper hand.Now every time you choose low-fat milk over full-fat, you are quietly voting in favour of your heart and your future. And unlike fad diets or fitness crazes, this is not advice that will likely change with next year’s headlines, it is backed by decades of real-world evidence.

Full-Fat Milk Vs Low-Fat Milk: Norway Study Reveals Milk Type That Increases Heart Disease Risk

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