What is the difference between 2% milk and skim milk?

Starting Jan. 1, 1998, the labeling of fat-reduced milk products will have to follow the same requirements the Food and Drug Administration established almost five years ago for the labeling of just about every other food reduced in fat. From now on:

• 2 percent milk will become known, for example, as "reduced fat" or "less fat" instead of "low fat";
• 1 percent milk will remain "low fat" or become, for example, "little fat"; and
• skim will retain its name or be called, for example, "fat-free", "zero-fat", or "no-fat" milk.

The goal of the recent labeling changes, as many nutrition experts see it, is to help consumers select milk products that can help them lower their fat and saturated fat intakes to recommended levels. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting fat to no more than 30 percent of calories and saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories. There is substantial scientific evidence to show that fat intakes may help reduce the risk of some cancers, and diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Switching from higher fat to lower fat milk products can have a particularly significant impact on lowering fat and saturated fat intakes because milk plays such an important role in the American diet.