Many studies have reported an inverse association between dairy products and the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, however the relationship was not clearly established and the mechanisms were not understood. This study assessed the consumption of milk products in 2031 young adults (23-25 years) using a food frequency questionnaire. Two classifications evaluated the incidence of metabolic syndrome: The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the Joint Interim Statement (JIS).
The impact of calcium
The results indicate that for the group with the highest consumption of milk products, the risk of metabolic syndrome was lower compared to the group with the lowest consumption: 39% according to the IDF criteria and 38% following the JIS criteria. Interestingly, this association lost significance when the data is adjusted for calcium, suggesting that calcium plays a major role (without being exclusively responsible) in the inverse association between dairy products and metabolic syndrome.
