Longitudinal association between dairy consumption and changes of body weight and waist circumference: the Framingham Heart Study

Abstract

Background Dairy foods are nutrient-dense and may be protective against long-term weight gain. Objective We aimed to examine the longitudinal association between dairy consumption and annualized changes in weight and waist circumference (WC) in adults. Methods Members of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort who participated in the 5th through 8th study examinations (1991–2008) were included in these analyses (3,440 participants with 11,683 observations). At each exam, dietary intake was assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire, and weight and WC were assessed following standardized procedures. Repeated measures models were used for the longitudinal analyses by adjusting for time-varying or invariant covariates. Results On average, participants gained weight and WC during follow-up. Dairy intake increased across exams. After adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors (including diet quality), participants who consumed ≥3 servings/d of total dairy had 0.10 [±0.04] kg smaller annualized increment of weight (Ptrend=0.04) than those consuming <1 serving/d. Higher total dairy intake was also marginally associated with less WC gain (Ptrend=0.05). Similarly, participants who consumed ≥3 servings/wk of yogurt had a 0.10 [±0.04] kg and 0.13 [±0.05] cm smaller annualized increment of weight (Ptrend=0.03) and WC (Ptrend=0.008) than those consuming <1 serving/wk, respectively. Skim/low-fat milk, cheese, total high-fat or total low-fat dairy intake was not associated with long-term change of weight or WC. Conclusion Further longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to confirm the beneficial role of increasing total dairy and yogurt intake, as part of a healthy and calorie-balanced dietary pattern, in the long-term prevention of gain in weight and WC.

Main nutrient patterns are associated with prospective weight change in adults from 10 European countries

“…The main food sources contributing to the nutrient intakes of PC4-dairy (particularly milk), read meat and poultry, and fish and shellfish (Online Resource 2)-have been investigated individually in a number of cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCT), but with no clear conclusion with regard to weight change [24][25][26][27], with the exception of red or processed meat intake, which promote unhealthy weight gain and obesity [19,28]. However, it is very likely that the combined intake of multiple dietary factors act synergistically [6].…”

Dairy Food Intake and All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer Mortality

“…In addition, fermented dairy products and probiotic bacteria may have beneficial health effects on blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and immune function (46,47) and may provide prophylactic protection against heart disease (48), diabetes (49,50), and stroke (51). Moreover, in prospective cohort studies, increased consumption of yogurt and other dairy foods was associated with less weight gain and lower waist circumference (52,53). However, in the present study, higher dairy product consumption was associated with higher BMI (Table 1), and an interaction with BMI was observed.…”

Potential Health Benefits of Combining Yogurt and Fruits Based on Their Probiotic and Prebiotic Properties

“…Both yogurt and fruit have been identified as protective against weight gain (75). Results from examinations 5-8 of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort (1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) found that participants who consumed yogurt regularly (i.e., $3 times/wk) had a smaller annual weight gain and waist circumference increase than those consuming <1 serving/wk (78). A review on yogurt and weight management examined 5 observational studies and found inconsistent results between studies with regards to yogurt's association with BMI, waist circumference, and sex (79).…”

“…The influence of yogurt against weight gain may be attributed to the changes in colonic bacteria from the ingestion of abundant yogurt probiotics (75), whey, casein, and bioactive peptides (78). Yogurt consumption may enhance the proportion of beneficial gut microbiota that are thought to be involved in weight maintenance via regulation of energy uptake and extraction (82).…”