Drinking full-fat milk could lead to a longer life by protecting against strokes, scientists have suggested.

While conventional diet advice has for decades dictated that skimmed and semi-skimmed milk is much healthier for us than full-fat milk, a study suggests that the opposite may be true.

Researchers found no significant link between dairy fats and heart disease and stroke, two of the biggest killers associated with a diet high in saturated fat. In fact, certain types of dairy fat might actually help guard against having a severe stroke, researchers reported.

It will be welcome news to people who prefer full-fat varieties of milk, butter, cheese and yogurt to those with lower quantities of fat.

Professor Marcia Otto, of the University of Texas, who led the study, said: "Our findings not only support but also significantly strengthen the growing body of evidence which suggests that dairy fat, contrary to popular belief, does not increase risk of heart disease or overall mortality in older adults.

"In addition to not contributing to death, the results suggest that one fatty acid present in dairy may lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, particularly from stroke."