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Health & Nutrition News Alert

October - December 2005 (Vol. 9 No. 4)

UK Men Stave Off Stroke with a Milk Mustache
Researchers in the United Kingdom examined the diets of men in South Wales and found that those with higher milk intakes had a lower risk of stroke and possibly heart disease. The study followed 665 men ages 45-59 over 20 years.  After taking into consideration such factors as age, smoking habits, body fat, and intake of calories, fat, and alcohol, results indicated that men who consumed more milk (including full fat and fat-free) had a reduced risk of stroke and suggested a trend toward a reduced risk of a heart attack. These findings, which agree with the results of a 10-study review, challenge the belief that milk may raise vascular disease risk, and, in fact, provide evidence to the contrary: that milk-drinking may reduce heart disease risk in men.

Elwood PC, et al. Milk consumption, stroke, and heart attack risk: Evidence from the Caerphilly cohort of older men. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2005; 59: 502-505.

Dairy May Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk in French Women
While numerous studies have examined whether calcium and/or eating dairy foods lowers the risk of colorectal cancer, the findings are considered by some to be inconsistent. However a new study published in the International Journal of Cancer is helping to shed light on this important issue. Researchers analyzed the diets of approximately 73,000 French women, ages 40 to 65, over two years. Results showed that women who had more dairy in their diets (and therefore more calcium and phosphorus) had a 20% lower risk of colon polyps (adenoma). The researchers conclude that these findings support the theory that dairy products, calcium and phosphorus protect against the development of colorectal cancer.

Kesse E, et al. Dietary calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, dairy products and the risk of colorectal adenoma and cancer among French women of the E3N-EPIC prospective study. International Journal of Cancer. 2005; 117: 137-144.

{Editor’s note: Calcium intake above 1,200 mg/day were associated with a 20% reduction in colon polyps (adenoma) and a 28% reduction in colon cancer. High phosphorus intakes reduced the risk of polyps by 30%.}

Dutch Dairy Lovers May Be a Little Leaner
Researchers in Amsterdam followed a group of 296 males and 333 females from age 13 to 36 and discovered that those who got enough calcium in their diet were slightly leaner. Since the Dutch usually eat plenty of dairy foods, the research suggests that consistent, adequate intake of calcium from dairy foods may result in lower body fat. The researchers comment that this study indicates a weaker link than previous studies have shown between dairy foods and lower body fat, because eating more than 3 servings of dairy a day appeared to have no additional positive effect.

Boon N, et al. The relation between calcium intake and body composition in a Dutch population: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2005; 162: 27-32.

{Editor’s note: Several recent studies have shown that people who typically eat only one serving of dairy foods daily will lose more weight and body fat when following a calorie-reduced diet and eating 3 servings of milk, cheese or yogurt each day.}

Dairy May Lower Body Fat , But How?
Many studies support a connection between dietary calcium from dairy foods and body fat, but just how dairy works is not completely known. Researchers at Purdue University looked at the relationship of the parathyroid hormone levels of 155 young women to their body composition (amount of fat and muscle). The results support the theory that eating milk, cheese or yogurt may lower parathyroid hormone levels and result in lower body fat.  This is one of the studies underway that is attempting to explain how dairy foods influence weight and body composition.

Gunther CW, et al. Parathyroid hormone is associated with decreased fat mass in young healthy women. International Journal of Obesity, 2005; 1-6.

FAST FACT

Medical experts agree that we need more vitamin D -- especially children, the elderly, and those in northern climates where sun exposure is limited (the body can produce adequate vitamin D if skin gets 15 minutes of sun exposure each day).  Vitamin D-fortified milk is one of the few foods that is a good source of vitamin D.  But Vitamin D is also absorbed efficiently from vitamin D-fortified process cheese in both younger and older adults.

Johnson JL, et al. Bioavailability of vitamin D from fortified process cheese and effects on vitamin D status in the elderly. Journal of Dairy Science. 2005; 88:2295-2301.

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You can rely on the National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council of (ADA/DC) Nebraska for credible, up-to-date news on dairy nutrition research, public policies on nutritional issues and special dairy nutrition campaigns. Please browse the Nutrition/Health Research tab for more information. If you need addition information or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Director of Nutrition Education Jennifer Meyer at (402) 592-3355 or toll free at (888) NEB-MILK.