How sound is the science behind the dietary recommendations for dairy?

Abstract

This review examined the evidence behind dietary guidelines for dairy. Most countries recommend consumption of dairy products; and when amounts are specified, recommendations are typically for 2 or 3 servings per day. Specific recommendations for dairy products are based partly on culture and availability but primarily on meeting nutrient requirements. Dairy products are a rich source of many minerals and vitamins as well as high-quality protein. Thus, dairy consumption is a marker for diet quality. A recent report found that yogurt specifically is a good marker of diet quality. The food patterns recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee (DGAC) include 3 cups of low-fat milk and milk products. Few people achieve their recommended intakes of several shortfall nutrients without meeting their recommendations for dairy. The evidence for a benefit of dairy consumption is moderate for bone health in children but limited in adults and moderate for cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, and diabetes and limited for metabolic syndrome. Newer data since the recommendations of the 2010 DGAC are presented. However, the strength of the evidence for dairy consumption and health is limited by the lack of appropriately powered randomized controlled trials.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle characteristics of university students in Cyprus: A cross-sectional survey

“…The CYKIDS study [12] was a similar study conducted among school children (aged 9-13) in Cyprus during the school year [2004][2005], with a representative sample of school-aged children. Our study was conducted among young adults (aged [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] in 2014, making it very likely that the study sample described here comes from at least the same generation, after a time-span of 10 years. Although the sample of the CYKIDS study was representative of the total school-aged children's population, and our study was based on convenience sampling and therefore may not be representative of the total population of college students, we feel that comparisons are perhaps justified with regard to possible changes in dietary habits, prevalence of overweight and obesity, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet during the transition from childhood to young adulthood, especially as adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the same tool, the KIDMED index.…”

Yogurt consumption is associated with a better lifestyle in Brazilian population

“…Nevertheless, it is important to indicate that group LOW-Y/ HIGH-D consisted of individuals with a minimal consumption of 338 g/day of other dairy products and a maximal intake of 5 g/day of yogurt, whereas in group HIGH-Y/LOW-D, we have a minimal consumption of 160 g/day of yogurt and a maximal intake of 85 g/day of other dairy products, that is, a difference in consumption that could explain the results found. In any event, considering the high prevalence of inadequate consumption of nutrients, especially of calcium and vitamin D found in the Brazilian population [10-12, 38, 39], it is important to indicate the role of yogurt as well as other dairy products in providing a greater supply of these nutrients, which could contribute to meet the dietary requirements for Brazilians [15,40].…”

Dairy intake-related intentions, attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control of South African nutrition professionals

“…The intake of dairy in South Africa is presumed to be well below the international recommended intake range of 500-750 ml (2-3 servings) per person per day. 10 These low intakes are suggested by market research 11 and a secondary analysis of the only National Food Consumption Survey of 1999, which showed that 19-35% of people aged 10 years and older consumed milk, with a mean per capita daily intake of 38-74 g, depending on the dietary assessment method. 12 Similarly, data from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) Study 13 and Mchiza et al 14 point to low dairy consumption.…”