Recent research indicates that regular milk consumption could decrease the risk of heart disease, challenging existing beliefs about its effects on cardiovascular health.
Recent studies have revealed that frequent milk consumption may reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Conducted by an international team including researchers from Reading University, the research analyzed data from nearly two million individuals in the UK and the US, making it the largest study of its kind.
Participants with a genetic predisposition to digest more milk showed a 14% lower risk of coronary heart disease. Despite higher body mass index (BMI) and body fat, these individuals had lower levels of both good and bad cholesterol. Lead author Professor Vimal Karani noted that this challenges the long-held belief that milk is detrimental to cardiovascular health and suggests that reducing milk intake may not be necessary for heart disease prevention.
This study utilized data from the UK Biobank, the 1958 British Birth Cohort, and the US Health and Retirement study and employed a genetic variation related to lactose digestion to pinpoint high milk consumers. It also found no significant association between higher milk consumption and increased cholesterol levels, diabetes, or inflammation.
Separate research by Cambridge and Bristol universities found that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) account for two-thirds of the daily caloric intake of British children, particularly affecting adolescents from deprived backgrounds. Analyzing food diaries from roughly 3,000 children aged 11 to 18, the study highlighted that UPFs, rich in salt, saturated fats, and sugars, often replace more nutritious foods. Although UPF intake slightly declined from 67.7% to 63% between 2008 and 2019, the diet of these adolescents still heavily relies on such foods.
Adolescents’ UPF consumption showed disparities based on socioeconomic background, with those from more deprived areas consuming a higher percentage of UPFs. The findings underscore the necessity for more robust health campaigns and policy interventions to promote healthier eating habits among young people.
Both studies provide important insights into diet and health, emphasizing the complexity of nutritional impacts on chronic diseases and highlighting areas for future public health initiatives.
The findings were published in the International Journal of Obesity and the European Journal of Nutrition, respectively.
