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Sign
up for the NDC Update for the latest dairy nutrition news, fast facts,
free tools for patients, expert nutrition advice and information on updated
dairy nutrition resources.
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Educate your patients on the importance of 3-A-Day of Dairy: Here's
a great
tool (PDF: 618k) to show families how to get their 3-A-Day of Dairy
every day for stronger bones.
Developed in conjunction with The American Academy of Family
Physicians, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Dietetic
Association, and The National Medical Association.
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Dairy Council Digest Archives
3-A-Day of Dairy Campaign
Dairy's Health Benefits Beyond Bones
Hypertension and Other Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors. The landmark governmentsponsored, multi-center DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) study found that a lowfat diet providing three servings of dairy products (e.g., lowfat and fat free milk, yogurt, regular and lowfat cheeses) in combination with 8 to10 servings of fruits and vegetables, significantly and quickly lowered blood pressure (43). Research reveals that dairy nutrients such as calcium and potassium contribute to this food's blood pressurelowering effect (44).
In addition to reducing hypertension, consuming the DASH diet reduces other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, specifically high blood levels of total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol and homocysteine (45,46). Further, milk and other dairy foods, and their nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, may help to reduce the risk for stroke, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (47).
Cancer. Epidemiological studies link intake of lowfat dairy foods with reduced risk of some cancers such as colorectal (48-51) and breast (52-54) ancers. For example, a recent clinical trial of 40 adults at risk for colon cancer found that increasing calcium intake for four months by consuming approximately three additional servings of lowfat dairy foods (e.g., lowfat milk, yogurt, cheese) reduced abnormal growth of cells which may lead to colorectal polyps and eventually result in colon cancer (49). And consumption of dairy products, especially nonfat and lowfat milk, was associated with reduced risk for breast cancer in premenopausal women, according to recent study which evaluated dietary trends of more than 88,000 women (52).
Not all studies support a beneficial role for dairy or calcium in cancer. Some epidemiological studies link high calcium/dairy intake with increased incidence of prostate cancer (55,56). A high calcium intake is thought to reduce serum1,25 (OH)2D, which is an independent risk factor for prostate cancer (57). However, the suppressive effect of a high calcium diet on serum 1,25 (OH)2D levels appears to be minimized by high vitamin D status (58). In a review of risk factors for prostate cancer, the American Council on Science and Health concluded that the evidence for a role of milk in prostate cancer is speculative at best (59).
In addition its beneficial role in bone health, dairy's nutrient package may help to reduce the risk for hypertension and some cancers, among other disorders, thereby providing further reason to consume 3-A-Day of dairy.
Other Health Benefits. Dietary calcium from dairy foods has been shown to reduce the risk of kidney stones, especially calcium oxalate stones which are the most common type (60-63). Also, emerging research supports a potentially beneficial role for calcium, particularly dairy calcium, in weight management (64,65). Some evidence indicates that increasing calcium intake reduces symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (66) and polycystic ovary syndrome (67) in women, and potentially reduces the risk of lead poisoning in children exposed to environmental lead (68). Because dairy foods are the major source of calcium in the diet, their intake may potentially reduce the risk of the above disorders.
Dairy foods such as milk and especially cheese may also play a protective role in oral health (69-73). Several cheeses including Cheddar, Swiss, blue, Monterey Jack, and process American cheese have been demonstrated to help prevent dental caries by reducing acid demineralization and enhancing remineralization of tooth enamel (69-72). Calcium-rich dairy foods may also help to reduce the risk for periodontal disease (73).
Yogurt, in addition to being an important source of milk's nutrients, may improve digestive functions, including reducing the duration and frequency of diarrhea in children (74) and aiding lactose digestion (75,76).
Although the value of milk and other dairy foods as nutrient dense foods important to health has long been recognized, some special interest groups allege that milk causes disorders such as type 1 diabetes and lactose intolerance, and that adequate calcium intake can be achieved without including milk or other dairy products in the diet. However, when scientists recently examined the risks and benefits of consuming milk and milk products, they concluded that current dietary guidelines to ensure adequate calcium intake "are grounded in sound science" (77). A wide variety of lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk and other dairy products, aged cheeses, and yogurts with live, active cultures are well tolerated by individuals who maldigest lactose (76).
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