Impact of Dairy Foods on Metabolic Syndrome: Recent Study Findings
Overview of Metabolic Syndrome
A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition explored the impact of dairy foods on metabolic syndrome, a condition affecting approximately one-quarter of the global population. Metabolic syndrome encompasses a range of symptoms, including high blood sugar and high blood pressure, which elevate the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Varied Effects of Dairy Foods
While some evidence suggests that dairy foods may contribute to the onset of metabolic syndrome, not all dairy products exert the same influence. The effects of dairy consumption can differ based on the fat content of the products and the specific population studied.
Study Methodology
In their investigation, researchers utilized existing studies to assess the relationship between dairy foods and metabolic syndrome. They searched databases such as PubMed and EMBASE for articles that included keywords related to dairy and terms like “metabolic syndrome” or its symptoms, including diabetes mellitus. Articles that focused on animal studies, lacked metabolic syndrome as an outcome, were not in English, or were categorized as randomized control trials, reviews, or meta-analyses were excluded. The quality of each selected article was evaluated by two investigators using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, with discussions held to reach consensus on ratings when necessary.
Dairy Foods and Reduced Risk of Metabolic Syndrome Symptoms
The analysis included nine studies with a total of 46,266 participants and revealed that consuming 200 grams of total dairy foods daily (including items like milk, yogurt, cheese, and custard) was associated with a 9% reduction in the risk of metabolic syndrome. Specifically, this consumption level correlated with lower instances of high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and increased triacylglycerol levels, all linked to cardiovascular disease.
Further examination of six studies involving 29,077 participants indicated that daily consumption of 200 grams of milk resulted in a 13% decrease in metabolic syndrome risk. Additionally, seven studies showed that 200 grams of milk per day contributed to a reduced risk of abdominal obesity.
Moreover, three studies with 14,793 participants found that consuming 100 grams of yogurt daily led to an 18% reduction in metabolic syndrome risk. In the context of yogurt consumption, the risk of high blood sugar decreased by 16% among participants who consumed 100 grams per day.
Future Research Directions
The findings suggest that both dairy foods as a whole and specific dairy products can lower the risk of various symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome. However, the diverse methodologies used in the studies, including differences in dietary assessments and diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome, may have influenced the outcomes. Additionally, other dairy products, such as cheese, were not included in the analysis due to a lack of relevant studies, leaving their potential impact on metabolic syndrome unexplored. Future research should aim to investigate these relationships further through randomized controlled trials.
Contributors
This article was written by Monica Naatey-Ahumah, BSc.
Reference
Lee, M., Lee, H., Kim, J. (2018). Dairy food consumption is associated with a lower risk of the metabolic syndrome and its components: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114518001460