No Fat, Low Fat, Full Fat: Why the Question?

No Fat, Low Fat, Full Fat: Why the Question?

Let me help you understand what's best for your children

By Dr. Stan

When families shop for food, they often see labels like "whole milk," "2%," "low-fat," or "fat-free." These labels can be confusing and so are some of the recommendations. Many parents wonder:

  • Should babies drink whole milk?
  • Should kids drink low-fat milk?
  • Are full-fat foods unhealthy or actually healthier?
  • Do teens need more or less fat?

The answer depends on your child's age, growth, and overall health. Nutrition experts, including those who write the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2025–2030 (DGA), give age-specific advice because infants, children, and teens all have different needs (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2025). But those have changed since the ones issued 5 years before and some experts disagree with the recommendations.

I am going to guide through the differences between full-fat and low-fat products and what experts recommend for each age group. But let's start with a basic understanding.

Why is FAT important?

First of all, FAT isn't a dirty word. The fat that comes into the body is broken into fatty acids that are used to create and maintain a lot of cell structures, hormone and signaling pathways.

Fat is especially important for:

  • Brain development
  • Nervous system growth
  • Hormone production
  • Energy during growth spurts
  • Vitamin A, D, E and K absorption

Infants and young children grow very quickly. Because of this, they need more fat in their diets than adults do. Even as children get older, their bodies still need fat — but not as much as babies do. Adults need fat as well, to keep our systems operating and to bring those needed vitamins into our bodies.

Of course, it's more complicated than that. You may know there are different types of fat, in the same way there are different types of proteins and carbohydrates, based on their chemical structure, which affects the way they operate in the body.

Saturated fat

  • Increases blood cholesterol levels, LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol), and the risk of heart disease, storing more thick plaque inside arteries
  • Increases the fat inside your body
  • Mostly from animal products (their meats and milks), but also in coconut, palm, palm kernel oils, and cocoa butter.

Trans fat

  • Detrimental to health because they significantly raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol while lowering HDL ("good") cholesterol, clogging arteries and dramatically increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes
  • Causes chronic inflammation and are difficult for the body to metabolize
  • Typically found in bakery products and some highly processed foods

Monounsaturated Fats (MUFA)

  • Help lower "bad" (LDL) cholesterol while maintaining "good" (HDL) cholesterol.
  • Best sources are olive / canola, safflower and sesame oil; avocados; almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts; pumpkin and sesame seeds.

Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFA)

  • Help lower "bad" (LDL) cholesterol while maintaining "good" (HDL) cholesterol.
  • Includes essential fats which the body cannot produce on its own, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that help lessen inflammation, and DHA /ARA which are important for brain health and development.
  • Found in fatty fish, including salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, herring, and tuna; Soybean, corn, sunflower oil; walnuts, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and pine nuts; and tofu.

Tips for Increasing Healthy Fats

Substitute: Replace butter or lard with olive or canola oil for cooking.

Snack Smart: Choose a handful of nuts (almonds or walnuts) instead of processed snacks.

Toppings: Add sliced avocado to sandwiches, salads, or toast.

Fish Meals: Aim for two servings of fatty fish per week.

What Does "Full-Fat," "High-Fat" and "Low-Fat" Mean?

Full-fat foods contain their natural fat. For example:

  • Whole milk (about 3.25% milk fat)
  • Full-fat yogurt
  • Regular cheese
  • Red meats (beef, pork, lamb, goat, game meats)

High Fat foods include full-fat dairy and meats, but also fatty fish and poly/mono unsaturated oils

Low-fat foods have some or most of the fat removed. For example:

  • 2% milk
  • 1% milk
  • Fat-free milk
  • Reduced-fat yogurt

Both types provide important nutrients like protein and calcium. The difference is mostly in the amount of fat and calories.

High Fat is important early on, but lower fat is needed later

Birth to 6 Months

During the first six months of life, babies should receive:

  • Breastmilk, or
  • Iron-fortified infant formula

Both breast milk and infant formula contain good amounts of fat. In fact, fat makes up about half of the calories in breast milk. This high fat level supports rapid brain growth.

Babies under 12 months should NOT drink cow's milk — whether full-fat or low-fat. Cow's milk does not have the right balance of nutrients for infants and may harm their kidneys or cause iron deficiency.

6 to 12 Months

After about 6 months (sooner for babies at significant risk of allergies), babies begin eating solid foods along with breastmilk or formula. Healthy fats can come from:

  • Mashed avocado
  • Nut butters (thinned to prevent choking)
  • Full-fat yogurt
  • Soft cheese
  • Fish and meats

Babies need these high fats to support brain growth and weight gain. Therefore, low-fat or fat-free dairy products are not recommended.

Toddlers (1–2 Years)

At 12 months old, children can begin drinking cow's milk. Experts recommend whole milk (full-fat) for most toddlers from ages 1 to 2 years because

  • Toddlers are still growing rapidly.
  • Their brains are still developing.
  • They need extra energy from fat.

Low-fat milk is usually not recommended before age 2, unless a doctor suggests it for medical reasons, such as a strong family history of obesity or heart disease.

Research shows that young children who drink whole milk may feel fuller and may not need extra snacks. Some early studies even suggest that whole milk is not linked to higher obesity risk in toddlers (Vanderhout and others, 2020).

Children at Ages 2–10

After age 2, recommendations begin to change.

While the Dietary Guidelines for Americans of 2025 suggest everyone remain high fat, though they recommend keeping saturated fat under 10% of calories to keep the risk from heart disease. That's hard to do with the amount of calcium and vitamin D they need from milk, since yogurt and other non-milk products do not have vitamin D.

Also, because brain and body growth are continuing, but at a slower rate, they still need some fat to build on. Additionally, my research in the 1970s also showed that young children with diarrhea were often getting no or low fat, but significant amounts of sugar (mostly from sweetened beverages).

I therefore recommend that children ages 2 and older switch to:

  • Reduced-fat (2%) milk and yogurt
  • Increased polyunsaturated fat from
    • Peanut and nut butters
    • Avocado
    • Fish (at least 2x / week)
  • Increased vegetables to fill them up

Teens and Pre-teens (Ages 11–18)

Teens go through major growth changes. They:

  • Gain height
  • Build bone mass
  • Develop muscle
  • Experience hormone changes

Because of this, teens need:

  • Protein
  • Calcium
  • Vitamin D
  • Healthy fats

Dietary from various organizations recommend teens continue to reduce saturated fat intake. Thus, I continue to suggest the focus should be on overall healthy eating patterns.

  • 2% dairy products
  • healthy fats, including:
    • Nuts and seeds
    • Avocados
    • Olive oil
    • Fatty fish, like salmon

While avoiding or at least reducing

  • Fried foods
  • Fast food
  • High-fat processed snacks
  • Sugary desserts

Special Situations

Some children may have special nutrition needs:

  • Underweight children may benefit from full-fat dairy longer.
  • Children with obesity may be advised to switch earlier to low-fat dairy.
  • Children with medical conditions should follow their doctor's advice.

Every child is different. Families should speak with a pediatrician if unsure.

Is Full-Fat Always Bad for Kids?

Not necessarily.

Some recent studies show that children who drink whole milk are not always more likely to be overweight. One of the reasons, they argue, might be that fat is more filling and then kids don't snack as much (presumably on sugar-sweetened and highly processed foods).

However, experts still recommend reduced-fat dairy after age 2 because:

  • It lowers saturated fat intake.
  • It supports long-term heart health.
  • It keeps calories balanced.
  • Snacks can be switched to healthier ones

The key message is this: Dairy is important — but total diet matters more than just one food. If a child eats mostly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, occasional full-fat dairy is not likely to cause harm.

What About Yogurt and Cheese?

Yogurt

For infants and toddlers under 2:

  • Full-fat plain yogurt is recommended.

For children and teens:

  • reduced-fat yogurt is a great option
  • Choose yogurt with no added sugar.
    • Many flavored yogurts contain a lot of sugar, which can increase the risk of cavities and weight gain .

Cheese

Cheese contains calcium and protein, but also saturated fat and sodium.

  • Small portions are appropriate for all ages.
  • Reduced-fat cheese may be a good choice for older children .

What Matters Most?

Fat is not the enemy. It is a necessary nutrient — especially for infants and toddlers. As children grow, their need for large amounts of fat decreases, and heart-healthy habits become more important.

  • Infants and toddlers need high fat options.
  • Children over age 2 should usually choose reduced-fat dairy.
  • Teens should limit saturated fat but include healthy unsaturated fats.
  • Overall diet quality matters more than one single food choice.

So, instead of focusing only on fat level, families should think about:

  • Is the child eating fruits and vegetables?
  • Are they drinking sugary drinks?
  • Are they eating highly processed foods?
  • Are they active every day?

Healthy eating is about patterns over time. When families understand age-specific needs, they can make better choices that support healthy growth, brain development, and lifelong heart health.

References

American Heart Association. (2023). Saturated fat. https://www.heart.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Infant and toddler nutrition. https://www.cdc.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2025). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030. 9th Edition. 

Nutrition4Kids.com numerous articles, videos and articles on grocery shopping, dairy, alternatives to milk, food and milk allergies, healthy fats, sugar-sweetened beverages, processed foods, whole grains, healthy eating, dietary guidelines, and more.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). Cow's milk alternatives: Parent FAQs. HealthyChildren.org.

Astrup, A., et al. (2019). Whole-fat dairy and cardiometabolic disease: Food is more than the sum of its parts. Advances in Nutrition, 10(5), 924S–930S.

Berenson, G. S., et al. (1998). Association between multiple cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis in children. New England Journal of Medicine, 338, 1650–1656.

Daniels, S. R., et al. (2008). Lipid screening and cardiovascular health in childhood. Pediatrics, 122(1), 198–208.

de Oliveira Otto, M. C., et al. (2018). Biomarkers of dairy fat and cardiovascular disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 108(3), 476–484.

Dror, D. K., & Allen, L. H. (2017). Dairy product intake in children and adolescents. Advances in Nutrition, 5(1), 31–42.

Juonala, M., et al. (2011). Childhood risk factors and carotid intima-media thickness. Circulation, 122(24), 2514–2520.

Koletzko, B., et al. (2020). Dietary fat intakes for infants and children. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 76(3), 143–150.

Mensink, R. P., et al. (2016). Effects of saturated fatty acids on serum lipids. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 102(5), 1361–1372.

Vanderhout, S. M., et al. (2020). Whole milk compared with reduced-fat milk and childhood overweight: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 111(2), 266–279.