High dairy diet linked to lower heart disease risk
PEOPLE who consume large amounts of dairy could be at a lower risk of heart disease, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
Despite the prevailing popularity of dairy alternatives such as oat and almond milk, a study has now found that higher intakes of dairy fat were not associated with increased risk of death.
This comes as alternative milks have seen their most successful year yet, with Britons having spent an estimated £146million on oat milk in 2020, up from £74 million in 2019.
An international collaboration between researchers in Sweden, the US and Australia assessed dairy fat consumption in 4,150 Swedish 60-yearolds by measuring blood levels of a particular fatty acid. The results of the Swedish study were combined with those from 17 previous studies.
Dr Matti Marklund, from The George Institute for Global Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said: “We found those with the highest levels [of the fatty acids] actually had the lowest risk of CVD (cardiovascular disease). These relationships are highly interesting, but we need further studies to better understand the full health impact of dairy fats and dairy foods.”
The acid is mainly found in dairy foods and therefore can be used to reflect intake of dairy fat.
The people surveyed were followed up for an average of 16 years to see how many had heart attacks, strokes and other serious circulatory events, and how many died from any cause during this time. After adjusting for other known CVD risk factors including age, income, lifestyle, dietary habits, and other diseases, the CVD risk was lowest for those with high levels of the fatty acid, researchers found.
Those with the highest levels had no increased risk of death from all causes.
Dr Marklund said the findings highlight the uncertainty of evidence in this area, which is reflected in dietary guidelines.
He added: “While some dietary guidelines continue to suggest consumers choose low-fat dairy products, others have moved away from that advice, instead suggesting dairy can be part of a healthy diet with an emphasis on selecting certain dairy foods.”