Tuesday 10th February 2009 News Index

How times have changed - for decades the Government used to provide full fat milk to all primary school children and now the Food Standards Agency are warning of the dangers!

It seems saturated fat is the problem, so the agency, which also wants the nation to eat less cheese, butter, cream, pies, cakes, red meat, sausages, burgers and pate, has launched a campaign aimed at parents to drive a fundamental shift away from saturated fat.

Saturated fat, which is found in dairy and red meat, causes clogged arteries which is blamed for around a third of the 200,000 premature deaths from heart disease each year.

However, the average child of that generation was also healthier and slimmer because they took part in a lot more physical activity, while there was less access to junk food.

Normal whole dairy milk is 3.5 per cent saturated fat. Semi-skimmed (60 per cent of sales), has 1.5 per cent. Some stores now offer a 1 per cent fat milk. Skimmed milk has only trace levels of saturated fat.

All these milk options contain the same amount of calcium, which is vital for growing bones and teeth.

Dr Hignett said: 'For small children, up to the age of two, it is particularly important to have a sufficient level of fat in the diet. But as we move to older age groups, our concerns turn to them not becoming obese and not starting to build up clogged arteries.'

Advice to cut down on full-fat milk also extends to cheese and butter. Having said that, the FSA do say that no child under 5 should be on a low-fat diet.

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Your Comments
I will move my children onto semi-skimmed milk when they reach the age of 5. This was what i was advised when my two eldest were little, theyre both healthy and neither of them are fat!!	dedwards 28/03/2009
I wish people would make up their minds! It has been said before not give semi skimmed milk to children under 5!	menna 18/02/2009

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