Less than half of U.S. shops where milk is sold carry lower-fat or skim varieties, and this healthier option is most scarce in poor and minority communities that tend to have higher rates of obesity, a large study found.

Part of the problem, researchers say, is a lack of supermarkets in poor communities, leaving residents reliant on smaller convenience stores and drugstores, where any milk is more expensive and low-fat varieties are less often available.

“These findings indicate that it’s more challenging and more expensive for populations at high risk for obesity and other diet-related health problems to follow dietary guidelines, at least with respect to milk,” lead study author Ms. Leah Rimkus, a scientist at the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois in Chicago, said by email.

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