Background: The present study explored the association between dairy food consumption and the risk of the metabolic syndrome in Korean adults using the most recent nationally representative data.
Methods: The study sample comprised 4862 Korean adults (≥19 years) who participated in the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Dairy food consumption was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The metabolic syndrome was defined according to the joint interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation and the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Results: We found that the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was significantly lower in subjects with higher milk or yogurt consumption (P < 0.0001). Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for abdominal obesity and high fasting glucose were significantly lower among subjects in the highest (≥ once per day) than in the lowest (none or rarely) category of milk consumption after adjusting for potential risk factors [OR = 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.50-0.93, P for trend = 0.0314; OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.65-1.03, P for trend = 0.0233]. The adjusted ORs for lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was 28% lower among subjects in the highest compared to subjects in the lowest category of yogurt consumption (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.52-1.00, P for trend = 0.0197). Furthermore, higher consumption of milk or yogurt was found to be significantly associated with a lower risk of the metabolic syndrome (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.55-0.93, P for trend = 0.0066; OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.48-1.05, P for trend = 0.0067).
Conclusions: High intakes of dairy foods may be associated with a lower risk of the metabolic syndrome.
© 2013 The Authors Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.