December 22, 2025

Checkoff powering science behind whole milk

By Dr. Chris Cifelli
National Dairy Council

Dairy farmers have always understood the value of whole milk.

Through your checkoff, National Dairy Council (NDC) is helping the rest of the world understand it, too, by funding research studies that show how whole milk and other whole-milk dairy foods can play a meaningful role on health and wellness.

NDC’s nutrition research program traces its roots back more than a century to studies that connected vitamin D to stronger bones. Since then, our focus has expanded to explore how dairy supports everything from growth and development to heart health to, more recently, emotional well-being. Today, we oversee about 30 to 40 studies each year, publishing roughly 25 research papers annually in respected scientific journals.

A major part of that work has centered on whole milk and whole-milk dairy foods. Over the past 20 years, more than 80 studies have examined whole milk and whole-milk dairy foods. Collectively, the findings tell a consistent story: milk, cheese and yogurt – at all fat levels –play a valuable role in healthy diets. In fact, research has shown that dairy foods at all fat levels are linked to lower risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Even butter is getting a second look. One recent NDC-funded study found that eating about a teaspoon a day was associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

So why does dairy fat appear to behave differently from other sources of saturated fat?

The answer lies in its complexity. Dairy fat contains more than 400 different fatty acids, including oleic acid, the same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil. And the way that fat is naturally packaged matters, too. Milk fat is surrounded by a unique structure called the milk fat globule membrane, which may influence how our bodies process the saturated fat naturally found in whole milk.

As we look ahead, full-fat dairy continues to be one of our highest research priorities. Our team is uncovering how the bioactive components in dairy fat contribute to cardiovascular health, digestive function and satiety – the feeling of fullness that helps regulate appetite. For example, current studies are exploring how whole milk dairy may support weight management, especially for people using new appetite-suppressing medications.

When I started at NDC 17 years ago, the idea that full-fat dairy might offer health benefits was met with skepticism. Today, experts are more open, more curious and more willing to challenge outdated assumptions; a shift driven by decades of steady, farmer-funded science.

Indeed, some leading researchers are taking notice and calling for a re-evaluation of dietary guidelines that have historically grouped all saturated fats together. And thanks to your checkoff investment, dairy is at the forefront of that discussion.

But our job doesn’t stop once the research is published. NDC scientists actively engage with the nutrition community – presenting at leading conferences, lecturing at universities, and collaborating with health professionals – to ensure that research is translated into credible, practical insights for everyday health decisions.

Your checkoff investment has built one of the most respected nutrition research programs in the food industry – one that continues to prove what farmers have known all along: dairy foods, including whole milk, have an important place in healthy eating.

Dr. Chris Cifelli is Senior Vice President, Nutrition Research, at National Dairy Council. He can be reached at Chris.Cifelli@dairy.org. To learn more about your national dairy checkoff, visit DairyCheckoff.com or if you have questions, send us an email.