A Norwegian study found drinking whole milk was associated with higher risk for coronary artery disease than drinking low-fat (1%) milk. (Coronary artery disease is narrowed heart arteries that increase heart attack risk.)
The Norwegian government began encouraging intake of low-fat milk in place of full-fat (whole) milk in the 1970s, and by 1989 whole milk intake had declined dramatically. Researchers looked at health and death records for 73,860 individuals
who had reported their food intake regularly from 1974 to 1988.
Drinking whole milk was associated with higher coronary artery disease and all-cause mortality whereas drinking low-fat milk was not. In fact, when compared to whole milk intake, low-fat milk intake was associated with lower risk of death. Worldwide, dairy products are among the primary sources of dietary saturated fatty acids, which are positively associated with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.