Background and Objectives: The association between the consumption of dairy products and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is not well-known yet. Here, we aimed to determine the potential effects of total intake and subtypes of dairy products on the development of CVD in an Iranian adult population.
Methods: Among adult participants of the third phase of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), after excluding those with incomplete dietary, biochemical and anthropometric data, and those who had CVD events at baseline, 2635 adults were selected and followed up till the sixth phase of the TLGS. Baseline dietary intakes were evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire with 168 items. There was no significant difference between the baseline characteristics of participants who did not complete the FFQ and those of the total population in the third phase of the TLGS. Finally, the risk of CVD events after adjusting for potential confounding variables was evaluated across the tertile categories of dairy products using the Cox proportional hazard regression models.
Results: During a 10.6-year follow-up, the incidence rate of CVD was 6.5%. After adjusting for confounding factors, there was no significant association between CVD risk and total dairy, low-fat and high-fat dairy, fermented and non-fermented dairy products, high- and low-fat milk, high- and low-fat yogurt, cheese, and cream cheese, as well as ice cream.
Conclusion: According to numerous evidence in previous studies that revealed there is no association between the consumption of dairy products, and CVD risk, independent of high-fat or low-fat dairy products. Hence, it is vital to reconsider dietary recommendations on lowering the intake of high-fat dairy products for the prevention of CVD.
