May 11, 2007 – We stand behind our weight-loss messages and the science supporting those messages. There's a strong body of scientific evidence demonstrating a connection between dairy and adult weight loss. All of our messages and campaign elements are always thoroughly reviewed and approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees dairy industry-sponsored campaigns. At the request of the USDA, we are shifting these elements in our campaigns to emphasize the role of dairy in weight maintenance.
This shift aligns our healthy weight messages with what the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans say about dairy and weight. The Dietary Guidelines recommend three servings of lowfat or fat-free milk, cheese or yogurt everyday as part of a healthy diet. The Guidelines also state that adults and children should not avoid milk and milk products because of concerns that these foods lead to weight gain.
Exploring the connection between dairy and weight management remains a major nutrition research platform. We will continue to report new developments in the body of science.
A compilation of peer-reviewed, published research is posted on The National Dairy Council Web site at www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NationalDairyCouncil/Healthyweight/Science.htm.
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IDFA is the Washington, DC–based organization representing the nation's dairy processing and manufacturing industries and their suppliers. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). Its 500–plus members range from large multinational corporations to single–plant operations, and represent more than 85% of the total volume of milk, cultured products, cheese, and ice cream and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States — an estimated $90–billion a year industry. IDFA can be found online at www.idfa.org.
The National Dairy Council® was founded in 1915 and conducts nutrition education and nutrition research programs through national, state and regional Dairy Council organizations, on behalf of America’s dairy farmers. For more information, visit www.nationaldairycouncil.org.