BEIJING -- Long-term consumption of whole milk and milk fat does not significantly increase body weight or blood lipid burdens in mice, according to a new study by Chinese researchers.

The study, conducted by researchers from a food and nutrition institute under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tsinghua University, and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), was recently published in the journal iMeta.

Milk is a dietary staple for more than 6 billion people globally, making it one of the most widely consumed foods.

According to the study, earlier research suggested that diets high in saturated fats could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, more recent findings indicate that dairy fats may not contribute to this risk, leaving the long-term effects of milk fat consumption on lipid metabolism still unclear.

To explore this further, researchers conducted a seven-week experiment on mice, dividing them into two groups: one group was fed a normal diet, while the other was given a high-fat diet. Both groups received daily doses of either 15 milliliters of whole milk or 0.5 milliliters of milk fat -- an amount equivalent to a human consuming over 2 kilograms of milk or 100 grams of milk fat daily for five years.

The results showed that neither whole milk nor milk fat significantly affected body weight or blood lipid burdens in the mice, regardless of their diet type.

The study also found that whole milk and milk fat improved gut microbiota diversity and increased the presence of key bacteria and metabolites linked to lipid regulation.

"This research addresses long-standing concerns about whole milk and milk fat," said Wang Jiaqi, a researcher at CAAS. "It also offers valuable insights for the food industry and global nutrition policies, and maximizes food resource efficiency."

The findings contribute to understanding the long-term effects of whole milk and milk fat on blood lipid health, Wang added.