Whole milk returns to school menus as debate over children's health continues

A new federal law allows whole and 2 percent milk to be served in schools, reversing a 2012 policy that limited federally supported school meals to nonfat or 1 percent milk; experts say milk provides important nutrients but research is mixed on whether higher-fat milk benefits or harms children's health.

Federal law now allows whole milk and 2 percent milk to be offered in school cafeterias. The change was signed by President Trump and alters a policy established in 2012 that limited milk in the National School Lunch Program to nonfat or 1 percent varieties. Supporters, including some industry groups and officials, say offering higher-fat milk could increase children's milk intake and nutrient consumption. Nutrition experts and health organizations remain split because existing research provides mixed evidence about potential benefits or risks. What is known: - The new bipartisan legislation permits schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program to offer whole milk and 2 percent milk in addition to lower-fat options. - Since 2012, participating schools had been limited to serving nonfat or 1 percent milk as part of efforts to reduce saturated fat and calorie intake among children. - Whole milk has substantially more calories and saturated fat than nonfat milk; the article notes one cup of whole milk contains about 80 percent more calories and about 4.5 grams of saturated fat compared with nonfat milk's trace amounts. - Some experts and representatives from the dairy industry have said there is no clear evidence that whole milk harms children's health, and some observational studies have associated whole-milk consumption with lower rates of overweight or obesity. - Many researchers caution most existing studies are observational and cannot prove cause and effect; the article also cites two small clinical trials and mentions larger trials under way in the United States and Canada. - The law exempts milk saturated fat from the current limits on fats served in schools, a change that some public health groups said could allow more saturated fat in school meals. Summary: Allowing whole and 2 percent milk in schools changes the beverage options available to children and reflects an ongoing debate about milk fat and child health. The article reports mixed findings: some studies and officials report little or no clear harm from whole milk and some observational work associates whole-milk drinking with lower overweight rates, while other experts point to calories and saturated fat as concerns. Larger clinical trials now underway may provide clearer evidence. Undetermined at this time.