title: Dairy products and metabolic effects in overweight men and women: results from a 6-mo intervention study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some epidemiologic studies have suggested inverse relations between intake of dairy products and components of the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to investigate the effects of an increased intake of dairy products in persons with a habitually low intake on body composition and factors related to the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Middle-aged overweight subjects (n = 121) with traits of the metabolic syndrome were recruited in Finland, Norway, and Sweden and randomly assigned into milk or control groups. The milk group was instructed to consume 3-5 portions of dairy products daily. The control group maintained their habitual diet. Clinical investigations were conducted on admission and after 6 mo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between changes in body weight or body composition, blood pressure, markers of inflammation, endothelial function, adiponectin, or oxidative stress in the milk and the control groups. There was a modest unfavorable increase in serum cholesterol concentrations in the milk group (P = 0.043). Among participants with a low calcium intake at baseline (<700 mg/d), there was a significant treatment effect for waist circumference (P = 0.003) and sagittal abdominal diameter (P = 0.034). When the sexes were analyzed separately, leptin increased (P = 0.045) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 decreased (P = 0.001) in women in the milk group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study gives no clear support to the hypothesis that a moderately increased intake of dairy products beneficially affects aspects of the metabolic syndrome. The apparently positive effects on waist circumference and sagittal abdominal diameter in subjects with a low calcium intake suggest a possible threshold in relation to effects on body composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Marianne Hauge
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wennersberg
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smedman
authors.forename: Anu M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Turpeinen
authors.forename: Kjetil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Retterstøl
authors.forename: Siv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tengblad
authors.forename: Endla
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lipre
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aro
authors.forename: Pertti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mutanen
authors.forename: Ingebjørg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Seljeflot
authors.forename: Samar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Jan I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mutanen
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vessby
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003611:Dairy Products; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D020738:Leptin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D002784:Cholesterol