Full fat milk - how long should kids drink it?

[mermaidgirl]

How long do you have to give kids full fat milk? Mine are 7 and 5. I heard that full fat has more nutrients in it and is better for growing bones etc.

Ds1 (4 next month) is on full fat and ds2 will also switch from formula to full fat milk next month. I see no reason to change as ds1 is certainly not needing less fat.

The advice is that you can change to semi at 2, not that you should. Whatever you think is best for your child, their activity levels, build, etc. Just as long as they're having milk with some fat in as calcium is fat-soluble.

I didnt think calcium was fat soluble - it is the fat soluble vitamins that you lose when you skim the fat and not the calcium

The calcium level is the same in skimmed as in fullfat - it's in the "watery" part not the fat.

It's fat soluble vitamins which are different, which is why the reccomendations about 2 and 5 being the minimum for switching. But that's only needed when they are small and growing fast,and/or milk is still a big proportion of their diet.

But as others have said, there's nothing unhealthy about fullfat milk, its still not a high fat food compared with butter, cheese etc. So give them whatever they like or whatever is convenient!

Mine are 6.5 and 3.3 and still have full-fat. Mind you I'm in my 40s and I still have full fat too.

How I look on it is that milk actually has stuff in it their body needs, if I was worried about their weight I'd take them outside more or cut down on their biscuits/cake/sweets.

The only one in our family who is overweight is DH and he is the only one who doesn't have full fat milk.

Vitamin D is indeed vital...but it is present in mushrooms, fatty fish, liver, eggs, and SUNLIGHT!! No need to worry about having enough of the right fat milk, just go outdoors during the day with a bit of skin showing and absorb all that free vit D! (Rickets is a rising problem in some communities at the moment because of clothing such as veils restricting absorbtion of sunlight). Also, lots of breakfast cereals, breads, and margarines are fortified with vit D.

My kids, 8 and 6, have been drinking skimmed milk for a year because they prefer it to semi-skimmed. DH and I have always had skimmed because we hate the fat in tea and coffee. If I need fatty food, I eat proper butter and have fresh double cream

Mine have never had it.