Milk Type in Toddlers: How Whole or Low-Fat Milk Affects Child Health
Official title: Milk Type in Toddlers (Milk-TOT) Study: Impact of Whole versus Low-fat Milk on Child Adiposity, Health and Development
Funded at Univ of Calif/div/agriculture/nat/resour · NIH-11141719 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project wants to learn if whole milk or low-fat milk is better for toddlers' weight, health, and development between ages 2 and 3.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Calif/div/agriculture/nat/resour NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oakland, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $687,187 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK131217-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141719 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are parents of toddlers who are 2 years old and have successfully transitioned from breastmilk or formula to cow's milk.
✕Less likely to help
Toddlers outside the 2-3 year age range or those not consuming cow's milk may not directly benefit from participating in this specific project.
What this research studies
Current recommendations suggest toddlers switch from whole milk to low-fat milk at age two, but there isn't much strong evidence to support this. In fact, some observations suggest low-fat milk might be linked to more body fat in children. This project will recruit 625 parents of toddlers and randomly assign them to give their child either whole milk or 1% milk for one year. We will then compare how these milk types affect changes in body fat and overall body mass.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide clear guidance for parents and healthcare providers on the optimal milk fat type for toddlers to support healthy growth and prevent obesity.
How similar studies have gone: Existing observational studies have shown conflicting results, and there are surprisingly few rigorous trials to support current recommendations, making this a novel and important investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Calif/div/agriculture/nat/resour
Oakland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ritchie, Lorrene D — Univ of Calif/div/agriculture/nat/resour
- Study coordinator: Ritchie, Lorrene D
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.