NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Overweight adults may be able to lower their risk of developing a range of symptoms that often precede heart disease and type 2 diabetes by consuming a dairy-rich diet, the results of a new study suggest.

According to the report, overweight adults who consumed the most servings of milk, butter, yogurt and cheese were the least likely to be diagnosed with high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure and hypertension (high blood pressure), regardless of whether these foods were low in fat. Collectively, these medical conditions are known as insulin resistance syndrome (IRS) and are major risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, researchers explain in the April 24th issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

"Our findings suggest that dairy consumption may be part of a dietary pattern that reduces the risk of obesity and IRS," Dr. Mark A. Pereira, the study's lead author, told Reuters Health.

He added that milk intake among children and teenagers has declined considerably over the past 30 years as rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes have increased.

"It is possible that there is an important connection between dairy intake and the epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes but this issue needs further study," said Pereira, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.

The study included more than 3,000 black and white adults aged 18 to 30. Among overweight individuals, or those with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 25, consuming at least 35 servings of dairy a week was associated with a 71% lower risk of being diagnosed with IRS over 10 years.

BMI is a measure of weight in relation to height. A BMI of 25 is considered overweight and a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese.

Each average daily serving of dairy consumed was associated with a 21% lower risk of developing IRS over the study period regardless of other dietary or lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol intake and exercise.

There was no association between high dairy consumption and the risk of IRS among individuals who were normal weight. And while white adults tended to consume more dairy foods than blacks, there were no racial differences when it came to the relationship of dairy foods to IRS. Similarly, both men and women seemed to benefit equally from a dairy-rich diet.

In other findings, dairy consumption rose in tandem with intakes of whole grain, fruits and vegetables, and those who consumed the most dairy also drank less sugar-sweetened soft drinks, results show.

It is not clear from the current study why dairy products might protect against the symptoms of IRS. The authors note that previous research has shown that calcium, potassium and magnesium--minerals found in these foods--are associated with a lower risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Alternatively, individuals who consume a dairy-rich diet may have healthy dietary or lifestyle habits, Pereira and colleagues suggest.

The study was funded through a grant from the Charles H. Hood Foundation, an independent organization focused on children's health.

SOURCE: The Journal of the American Medical Association 2002;287:2082-

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