A 20-month-old toddler on a 1,400 kcal/day plan is being offered 2 cups of 1% (low-fat) milk per day instead of whole milk. Considering the 30–40% fat recommendation, what is the most appropriate evaluation?

• A. Milk fat is irrelevant to the 30–40% recommendation because fat from milk cannot be counted toward a toddler's daily fat intake and should be disregarded when designing meal plans.
• B. Using 1% milk is always preferable because lower milk fat prevents childhood obesity and toddlers do not need any additional dietary fat from milk to meet the 30–40% target.
• C. Switching to 1% milk reduces available dietary fat; for many toddlers aged 1–2 years who need higher fat proportion, whole milk is generally preferred to help reach the 30–40% fat goal unless there is a medical reason to limit fat.
• D. Offering 1% milk automatically increases total fat intake because low-fat milk is typically fortified with oils that increase fat grams more than whole milk does.

Answer: (C)