Milkfat

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Childhood obesity risk²

  Children who drank whole milk were less likely to have obesity, but it is unclear if milkfat is the cause.

• Open question

  Heart disease risk³

  Few studies have looked at whether milkfat affects heart disease risk.

• Benefit

  Childhood weight⁴

  Kids who drank milk with more milkfat tended to weigh less for their height than kids who drank low-fat milk.

• No harm found

  Kidney disease risk⁵

  In European studies using genes, milkfat in milk showed no clear link to kidney disease risk.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Cancer protection⁹

  Milkfat's fatty acids and fats showed activity against cancer in lab and animal studies, but human evidence is still inconclusive.

Study type not stated

• Open question

  Cancer risk from dairy fat⁶

  Milk fat contains compounds that may help fight cancer, but scientists do not yet know whether eating it helps people.

How it’s made and used

• Seasonal fats in milk⁷

  In Dutch milk, milkfat's alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids were higher in spring and summer than in autumn and winter.

• Dairy fat composition⁸

  In cattle, changing what cows eat can change the fats in milkfat.

• Gut health and bacteria¹⁰

  Milkfat's membrane is being studied as a way to protect good bacteria in food.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.