title: Body fat and dairy product intake in lactase persistent and non-persistent children and adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lactase non-persistent (LNP) individuals may be lactose intolerant and therefore on a more restricted diet concerning milk and milk products compared to lactase persistent (LP) individuals. This may have an impact on body fat mass.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examines if LP and LNP children and adolescents, defined by genotyping for the LCT-13910 C > T polymorphism, differ from each other with regard to milk and milk product intake, and measures of body fat mass.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (n=298, mean age 9.6 years) and adolescents (n=386, mean age 15.6 years), belonging to the Swedish part of the European Youth Heart Study, were genotyped for the LCT-13910 C > T polymorphism. Dietary intakes of reduced and full-fat dairy varieties were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LNP (CC genotype) subjects consumed less milk, soured milk and yoghurt compared to LP (CT/TT genotype) subjects (p<0.001). Subsequent partitioning for age group attenuated this observation (p=0.002 for children and p=0.023 in adolescents). Six subjects were reported by parents to be 'lactose intolerant', none of whom were LNP. LNP children and adolescents consumed significantly less reduced fat milk and milk products than LP children and adolescents (p=0.009 for children and p=0.001 for adolescents).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that LP is linked to an overall higher milk and dairy intake, but is not linked to higher body fat mass in children and adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine Research Centre, School of Health and Medical Sciences, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Almon
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Torbjörn K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Engfeldt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sjöström