Abstract
Background:
Dairy product has been suggested to be related to the prevention of overweight or obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). These associations are currently controversial, however, and a systematic quantitative meta-analysis is lacking.
Objectives:
We examined the associations between dairy products and the risk of overweight or obesity, hypertension, and T2DM, and tested for dose-response relations.
Methods:
We comprehensively searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science up to April 2021. Cohort studies were included if dairy food consumption was reported at a minimum of three levels or as continuous variables, and the associations were assessed with overweight or obesity, hypertension, and T2DM. Summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for the dose-response association. Restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the linear or nonlinear relationships.
Results:
Among the 9,887 articles retrieved, 42 articles were included. For overweight or obesity, the linear association was observed for total dairy, milk, and yogurt. The risk decreased by 25%, 7%, and 12% per 200 g/d increase for total dairy, high-fat dairy, and milk, respectively, and by 13% per 50 g/d increment of yogurt. For hypertension, a nonlinear association was observed in total dairy, while inverse significant associations were found for low-fat dairy (RR: 0.94; 95%CI: 0.90, 0.98), and milk (RR: 0.94; 95%CI: 0.92, 0.97) with per 200 g/d intake increase. For T2DM, all types of dairy food consumption except for milk and low-fat dairy products showed nonlinear associations, with total dairy and yogurt intake associated with 3% and 7% lower risk per 200 g/d and 50 g/d intake increase, respectively.
Conclusions:
Our study suggests that total dairy is associated with a low risk of overweight or obesity, hypertension, and T2DM, especially milk and yogurt for overweight or obesity, low-fat dairy and milk for hypertension, and yogurt for T2DM.
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