KEY POINTS:
Real men don't drink low-fat milk, says a Massey University researcher.
"Low-fat milk is for women," said researcher Dr Carol Wham, who today called for marketers to give low-fat milk a more "macho" image for the sake of men's health.
An online study by Massey and Otago Universities' dietetic departments, showed men aged 19-24 viewed low-fat milk as "for chicks, not guys".
Dr Wham presented her findings at the New Zealand and Australian Nutrition Societies' conference at Massey University's Albany campus yesterday.
Standard milk, either so-called "full cream" or homogenised (known as "blue top") was preferred by 35 per cent of the 86 men who responded to the survey.
While skim milk was the main choice for weight- and health-conscious Kiwis, big milk drinkers were satisfied by full fat only.
Dr Wham said that to prevent chronic heart disease men should, ideally, drink only low-fat milk, which contains the same nutrients as standard milk but not the higher levels of saturated fat.
- NZPA
