title: Effects of Dairy Products Consumption on Health: Benefits and Beliefs--A Commentary from the Belgian Bone Club and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases.
abstract: Dairy products provide a package of essential nutrients that is difficult to obtain in low-dairy or dairy-free diets, and for many people it is not possible to achieve recommended daily calcium intakes with a dairy-free diet. Despite the established benefits for bone health, some people avoid dairy in their diet due to beliefs that dairy may be detrimental to health, especially in those with weight management issues, lactose intolerance, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or trying to avoid cardiovascular disease. This review provides information for health professionals to enable them to help their patients make informed decisions about consuming dairy products as part of a balanced diet. There may be a weak association between dairy consumption and a possible small weight reduction, with decreases in fat mass and waist circumference and increases in lean body mass. Lactose intolerant individuals may not need to completely eliminate dairy products from their diet, as both yogurt and hard cheese are well tolerated. Among people with arthritis, there is no evidence for a benefit to avoid dairy consumption. Dairy products do not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly if low fat. Intake of up to three servings of dairy products per day appears to be safe and may confer a favourable benefit with regard to bone health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology-Obstetrics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rozenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, CHU Brugmann, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Body
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bruyère
authors.affiliation: Department of Radioisotopes, CHU Brugmann, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bergmann
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Bone Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Brandi
authors.affiliation: MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.|University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Cyrus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Saint Luc University Hospital, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Devogelaer
authors.affiliation: Gerontology and Geriatrics Section, Department of Experimental Medicine, Katholiek Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Evelien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gielen
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Endocrinology, State University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goemaere
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, State University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kaufman
authors.affiliation: Division of Bones Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rizzoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. jyreginster@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Reginster
mesh_terms: D001530:Belgium; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy; D003469:Culture; D003611:Dairy Products; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D005060:Europe; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D007787:Lactose Intolerance / Q000178:diet therapy; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology; D012958:Societies, Scientific; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs
keywords: Arthritis; Cardiovascular disease; Dairy products; Lactose intolerance; Osteoporosis; Weight management