Does Yoplait Promote Weight Loss?

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Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Yoplait is running ads that claim, ?Yoplait Light has recently been clinically shown to enhance weight and fat loss as part of a reduced-calorie diet.? Is this true?

Dr. Zemel did publish a small study showing obese subjects instructed to consume more low-fat and nonfat dairy products lost more weight than those instructed to follow a more conventional low-calcium (about 400-500 mg/day) weight loss diet.1 Those on the low-calcium diet either took a placebo or a calcium supplement (800 mg/day).
? The group consuming the low-fat dairy products lost 70% more weight over 6 months and 64% more body fat than the group on the low-calcium diet (plus placebo).? Those who followed the low-calcium diet but took the calcium supplement lost 26% more body weight plus 38% more body fat than the group with a placebo. This suggests that a low calcium intake may make losing body fat more difficult.Because the researchers did not measure calorie intake, it is hard to say for sure why subjects lost more weight with the low-fat dairy and calcium supplements. A low calcium intake does increase calcitrol (active form of vitamin D) in the blood, and this increases calcium influx in fat cells, which appears to favor fat accumulation.Weight loss in older women does tend to promote calcium loss from the bones, so it makes sense to include a moderate amount of calcium-rich foods for them. But men might not want to follow the same advice just yet. Data from the large Physicians? Health Study found that men who consumed more dairy products and calcium were more likely to develop prostate cancer than those who consumed less.2Bottom Line: The use of moderate amounts of nonfat dairy products as part of a weight-control diet seems reasonable, but this does not mean fatty dairy products with added sugar are a healthy addition to a weight-loss diet.By James Kenney, PhD, RD, LD, FACN.1. Obesity Research 2004;12:582-902. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;74:549-54
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Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

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