Dairy products and metabolic effects in overweight men and women: results from a 6-mo intervention study.
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.
Wennersberg
Marianne Hauge
MH
Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Smedman
Annika
A
Turpeinen
Anu M
AM
Retterstøl
Kjetil
K
Tengblad
Siv
S
Lipre
Endla
E
Aro
Antti
A
Mutanen
Pertti
P
Seljeflot
Ingebjørg
I
Basu
Samar
S
Pedersen
Jan I
JI
Mutanen
Marja
M
Vessby
Bengt
B
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
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D020738:Leptin; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D002784:Cholesterol