INTERNATIONAL – A study published this week claims that components of milk fat could reduce the incidence of asthma in children

Researchers in the Netherlands said that pre-school children given full fat milk and butter daily are less likely to develop asthma. They added that fruit juice, vegetables and fish had a much smaller effect.

Previously, Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and added to some dairy products have been linked to reducing the risk asthma development, but the study found no such association.

The study took information from 3,000 two-year-olds and checked for asthma symptoms a year later. Asthma at age three was lower in children who consumed full cream milk and butter daily than in those who did not.