Skim Milk Vs. Whole Milk

According to the American Dietetics Association a child should remain on whole milk up to 2 years of age and then be switched a lower fat content milk. THe higher fat content is needed under 2 years because the rapid brain growth needs the fat but brain growth slows down after 2 years of age and glucose from carbohidrates become the main supplier for the brain.

The dietician is right. Almost everybody should drink skim milk. Whole milk usualy up until 2 is fine. But due to health and obsity issues that plague they world today skim milk is recommended and if she is drinking it willingly than that is what she should have. Also FYI juices should be very limited to all children due to the calorie and sugar content. Most the pedeatricians at my hospital recommend giving the children a peice of fruit and strictly limiting any juice.

I have worked in a doctors office for 5 years now. All the physicians I have worked for an my sons doctor told me that when children get to 2 they can get off whole milk but should go to 2% because they still need some of the fat content that is in the milk. Skim milk has almost no fat. I would suggest trying the 2% instead of going completely to skim.

J.-
I am a little surprised by your dietitian's advice. I too am a registered dietitian. I have always understood that kids should be drinking whole milk. Kids benefit from the fat-soluble vitamins that milk contains. The ratio of protein is higher in low fat milks, and is more than they can handle given the amount of milk they consume. That is why breast milk is so high in fat. I would not go below a 2% milk fat level for a baby/toddler, and whole milk is preferred. This becomes less of a concern as kids get older. My daughter is 12 now and drinks the 1% milk that we buy for the household. If you like, I will consult my resources and get a firm opinion on this. Just e-mail me directly. Good luck! A.

Keeping in mind that I always opt for the more natural route and prefer to feed my family whole foods whenever possible, I'll always opt for whole fat, free range organic milk (I buy nonhomogenized when I can get it). Along those same lines, I strongly believe that the majority of our country's weight issues center around the amount of corn that is present in our diets - from corn syrup to corn oil (canola oil), to the corn that is fed to the meat animals that we consume. (Think about it - farmers feed corn to their cattle to fatten them prior to slaughter. It makes sense to me that we are also getting fat from all of the corn we consume.)

My family has been drinking whole fat milk for years. We've been eating real butter since long before the health care industry admitted that it was better than margarine. We don't have weight issues, even though my husband's frame, family history and build makes him prone to being overweight. My daughter will receive whole milk, just the same as we do.

That's what we do. :)

I am also a registered dietitian and just thought I would give you my input. It was appropriate to switch your daughter to skim milk. From 1 to 2 years, they should absolutely drink whole milk. After 2 years, it is recommended that childred follow American Heart Association recommendations, which includes skim milk. Children typically get plenty of fat elsewhere in their diet. My son's daycare provides whole milk only, so I actually bring his sippy cups with him everyday with skim milk (he's 2 1/2 years old). You absolutely did the right thing. Are the family members that got all upset about it older? Unfortunately, our kids today are getting diabetes much earlier and showing signs of early heart disease, so we need to follow heart healthy diets for them. Hope this helps. You did the right thing!
B.

Whole milk and skim milk are on the complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Why not go with 2%...thats what my kiddos drink, and the adults in the house have our own skim milk. My Dr. told me that children need the "milk fat" in their diet. It is essencial for brain growth and development. My kids are healthy 5 and 3 yr. olds who LOVE their milk! Do what you think is best for your daughter, not what your dietician thinks.

I think it is completely up to you. If you feel she is getting everything she needs with or without, I would probably stick with skim. It is the best for her- without a doubt- when she gets older. I grew up on milk from a cow. I mean I grew up on a farm, milked the cows, etc... Switching to whole milk bought from a store was a transition. Now 1% is the best I can do- comfortably. It will just be easier. If the pediatrician doesn't have a problem with it, what's the big deal? If you notice a negative change in her after she has been on skim milk for a while, switch back. My son was very sick when he was young (completely unrelated reasons) and I was excited when he would just drink milk. He drank whole milk- he needed it to fill him up basically. Now, he has what we teasingly refer to as a "drinking problem". The child could and would get everything he needs in liquid form if I let him. I have to watch his intake of juice and milk while eating or he will become full on just that. He nows drinks water at mealtime.Your daughter is healthy, make it easier on her when she grows up. It is like starting her on whole grain whole wheat bread- Sure she'd like white also, but if she eats wheat why introduce something that is not good for her? If you notice a decrease in weight- switch back. Keep in mind, they do naturally begin to lose baby fat between two and three. They are more active and are growing like crazy. In fact, just do what YOU think is best. I never thought I was a very intuative person- but moms just know. When it is your child you just know what they need. Listen to yourself, have faith in your wonderful ability to be her mommy.

When my daughter switched from formula to milk she was drinking a whole gallon of whole milk every two days! She LOVES her milk and never drank a lot of juice. I switched her to skim milk after asking my pediatrician at a little before 18 months. She still drinks it like it is the best thing ever made and the pediatrician even said that it was better for her because skim milk has more calcium than whole milk anyway!

Hi!
All three of my kids also drank whole milk up until age 2, then were switched to skim milk. My pediatrician was fine with this, because they need the whole milk when they are little, but then with the increasing obesity problem in children it was a good thing to get them over to skim. All of my children are healthy and we've never experienced problems with this.
It sounds to me like your little one will be absolutely fine with the switch, especially since you mentioned she already gets plenty of vitamins and such. Skim milk is nutritious, it just has less fat.

We just moved here, but my former pediatrician said it was fine to switch from whole milk to skim milk after they turned two. I switched both of my girls to skim at that time.

Hi J.,
My daughter switched from whole milk to skim when she turned 2, and my son is turning two on Saturday and I plan to do the same for him. This is with my doctor's permission - apparently after turning two kids don't need the extra fat to boost brain development that they do earlier on. My doctor said that I could let the kids drink whatever I drink, so skim milk sounds good to me!

Hi J. - the main reason for keeping a child on whole milk until they are 2 is the nutrients and the Vitamin D. Before whole milk was the only milk that contained it. Now it is also in 2% as well. My daughter just turned 2 but we started her out on 2% versus whole - which my pediatrician actually suggested. She rarely drinks milk on a regular basis (usually just at lunch if she wants it) so we haven't switched to skim. My oldest daughter, who is 10, doesn't like skim milk so she has always been on 2%. I absolutely hate all milk and, according to my mother, once they took me off formula I broke myself from the bottle becuase I refused to drink milk. So basically I agree with what someone else said about you know what is best for your child. I think your decision is fine, especially said the pediatrician didn't seem to care either way. Go with your gut and you will usually get the best results. Doctors don't always have the right answers either - we didn't always stay on teh doc's schedule of introducing foods and both of my children are fine. Good luck - and I think your decision is fine. Hope that helps!!

hi J. ~
i switched my son from whole milk to skim milk at the age of 2 (up until the age of 2 fat is needed for neurological development). i believe an early switch to low fat milk helps to ensure healthy habits, as your daughter will be more likely to continue to drink low fat milk as a teen and adult, instead of higher fat and calorie whole milk. making the switch at an early age is much easier than doing it when your daughter is older, when she is more likely to notice and be resistant to switching to low fat milk. good luck!

My pedi had told me to keep my children on whole milk until the age of the because the "fat" in whole milk is essential for brain development. I am a mother of 3, ages 9,4 and 21 months. I know with the rising prices of milk its nice to only buy one kind but I believe I will have my 21 month old stay on whole milk just as I did for the other two.

I don't see the switch as being a problem. It is probably better to do it now before she realizes that there is a taste difference.

i am confused by the whole thing also, because when i grew up i think i was on whole milk till i was a teenager now they say that when you are two you should switch. i have not really sat down and looked at the content of each. but i don't know. i think for sure d has more fat and i think they are so worried about obesity in children that might be the reason behind that. and i have heard that one percent has more calcium but like you i need to research. i think that is a good question . i would like to know the answer behind it also.

My daughter was a rather large baby...so we had her on 2% milk as to not take in more "fat" from the vitamin D. Doctor had her on it since she was 1yr. They are still on 2% and my husband and I drink D. If your child is healthy and is getting extra nutrition from other sources, I don't see why she can't have skim. But, I guess it's the preference of the child too.

My daughter is on 2%, and has been for about 8 months. We'd be on skim, but my husband hates the stuff. She's doing just fine, and I feel better about it than buying whole all the time.

In my professional mom's opinion, just watch her and make sure she's keeping her weight and feels okay.

i have actually heard the same thing-- that about age 2 is when you should switch your kids to lower fat foods. before age 2 they need the fat to help their brains develop, but at age 2 they don't, and it's better for them to switch over. even if they aren't fat, it just helps develop better eating habits. after all, it's much easier to change at this age when they don't have much say in anything (well, at least, they can't fix it themselves), as opposed to age 10 when they are starting to get a bit chubby. with childhood obesity continuing to rise and the instance of type 2 diabetes in children rising, kids need to have as healthy of a diet as possible as young as possible. i myself am struggling with my weight and general health because i was never taught how to eat right-- my husband, daughter (who will be 2 in feb), and i are learning together. as we haven't been to a 2 year check up yet, i have no advice on what my doctor will say, but i feel pretty certain he will say the same thing. your family probably didn't have to deal with these sorts of things when their kids were young (assuming it's the older crowd-- which it usually is where advice comes from!), and don't understand. you can also tell them that heart disease starts very very young in kids, and that the laying down of plaque and hardening of arteries is setting little kids up for heart attacks, heart disease, and all sorts of other complications in the future. you are just trying to give your daughter the gift of a healthy life so she can grow to watch her own kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. which ever way you decide to go on this, stick to your guns where your family is concerned-- it's your job to make the best decisions you can for your child! good luck!

FOR ME, 2 is too young to switch to skim. I have an 8 yr old and a 2 yr old and my 8yr old don't even drink it yet. My 2 yr old (8/4/05) is still on whole milk, not for weight issues but it has good fat in it that is vital for brain development till age 3. My ped said he "could" go to 2% if I chose to but she preferred he stayed with whole till 3. At 3, my dd went to 2%, then switched to 1% (which is what dh and I drink) around 4 or 5.
If you ds gets the whole milk fat from yogurt and cheese, I would say switch, you sure could save the money with the family all drinking the same. This is one of those things that you have to figure out what is best for you and your family.
Good luck

I was told by my pediatrician and also in nursing school that a child should be on skim milk at age one. gradually switch from formula/breastmilk to whole milk to 2 % to 1 % to skim in the matter of a week or two depending on how your child is handling it. the only difference betweent he milks are the fat content... nothing else.

M. MOmmy to Darien (7 yrs old) allison 2 yrs old and due with #3 feb 19th (T.J.)

My Daughter just turned 2 and the ped recommended that she stay on least 1%, that she still needs the fat for development. I hope this helps.

Hi J.,

I switched my son after his complete full year on whole milk. I worked at the hospital in X-ray and knew lots of Doctors, Nurses, and every other medical professionals including dietitians and almost everyone i would talk to said it was best to have them on whole milk for only one year. except the really older folks. My son is almost six now and his quite healthy and not under or over weight.
I wish you the best of luck with your family and helping them understand your desicion to switch your daughter to skim milk. happy holidays! take care
L. and Simon

Hi J.,

I know from my pediatritian and literature I've read about kids that at 2 yrs they should change to skim milk if they have a general good nutrition because they don't rely mostly on milk for their fat intake anymore, they are getting their fat from all other foods.

If she's not a good eater however, than maybe consider staying with whole milk.

One of the many sources from where I got the skim milk info was babycenter.com

Hope the info helps you.

Please call her pediatrician and ask. You do not need to make an appointment for this, just call the office and ask for the nurse. She can speak with the doctor and call you back.

We drink only raw milk in my family. You might want to google some of the wonderful advantages of drinking raw milk. You have to buy a share of the cow for it to be legal. Mine was about $50 for a one time fee to purchase the share. Then we pay $22 per month to the farm to get 2 gallons every 2 weeks. I'm in a milk co op so we take turns going to Trenton to pick it up. Email me privately if you would like more information. ____@____.com

Hello J.!

I would ask your pediatrician as it is recommended to keep kids on whole milk until age 2 and then to start switching them slowly over to skim.

Just my .02. I am sure you will do what YOU think is best for your child!

HI J. my name is L.. I have two boys 9 and 5 the 2% milk won't hurt. My boys doctor put the youngest one on it when he was 2 and he is doing great with it. They said that it's a lot better. Because it's not as hard on their digestives as they get older. The oldest one was never on it, he was born protein and lactose intolerant so he went strait to the skim. He as no prblems from it. I wouldn't worry about what the family says, cause mine said the same thing. So I just ignored them and did what the doctor said to do. Trust me she will be fine on the skim milk.
L.

It does seem to early to switch to skim, but at her age she should be on 1 or 2 percent.

The fat content in whole milk is important between ages 1-2 for brain development, but I'm honestly not sure if it continues to be important after the age of 2. You should ask your pediatrician about this.

i got this from about.com
Yes. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises that parents begin low fat milk after age two years. Before that age, toddlers should be either breastfeeding or drinking whole milk, but after age two you can start giving him 2%, 1%, or skim milk. And of course they should be either breastfeeding or drinking an iron fortified infant formula before age 12 months.

Why switch to low fat milk?
Mostly because your child will likely be getting plenty of fat from other things that he is eating. And starting early can help to develop preferences for low fat foods that he will hopefully keep for a lifetime of healthy eating.

If your child has a poor diet and doesn't get enough fat from other areas of his diet, then you may want to keep him on whole milk

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/04_low_fa...

everything else i have been told with my 4 kids and have read says the same thing though i did find an article that said age 2 OR 3.

I've never heard of switching a two year old to skim milk. I could be wrong, but I thought at that age, they still needed the fats in milk. You can take the no fat thing a bit too far. We switched our kids to 2% at 2. At one, they were on whole milk.

Our pediatrician told us to switch to 2% or skim when our son turned 2 and no more than 2 cups of milk a day - just so we have room for other foods as well. Hope this helps!

I changed my son over to 2% at 2 years old but was told that he needed to be on that until 5 years old then over to skim by his Ped.

Two things jumped out at me when I read your request. First and foremost, trust your wonderful mothering instincts because you know your daughter better than anyone else (better than the doc, better than even your family). Second, consider that a LARGE percentage of the world's population do *not* consume cow's milk, or consume it very infrequently and in small quantities (more like a condiment that is used sparingly than a daily drink)... so you don't have to feel confused at all. You said that your daughter is getting "all her daily nutrients, with or without... milk" -- so you've already basically answered your question, right? :) The only difference between whole milk and skim is the fat content, and if your daughter isn't taking in a whole bunch of cow's milk, then I'd be surprised if the small difference in fat content mattered (I believe whole milk is 3% fat vs skim milk is 0% fat? please verify that data, but that's what I'm remembering).