Increased intake of milk reduces risk of high blood pressure: study

Hypertension is when blood pressure is too high. Blood pressure is written as two numbers. The first (systolic) number represents the pressure in blood vessels when the heart contracts or beats. The second (diastolic) number represents the pressure in the vessels when the heart rests between beats.

Studying the habits of almost five thousand men and women, the researchers found that those who consumed more than three servings of milk and dairy products per day were 36 percent less likely to have high blood pressure than those who ate the least amount of dairy, less than half a serving per day. Studies have revealed a positive relationship between milk consumption and hypertension. However, few researchers have investigated the association between milk consumption and changes in blood pressure in South Korean adults. Therefore, we examined the association between milk intake and the management and risk of hypertension in South Korean adults.

Participants were selected from the Health Examinees study. The definition of hypertension was based on the guidelines of the Korean Society of Hypertension. The participants were divided into three groups according to changes between baseline and follow-up blood pressure data.

Results:

• The milk consumption was assessed using food frequency questionnaires.
• In both men and women, the higher milk consumption group had increased odds of trends of blood pressure improvement and decreased odds of trends of worsening compared with those of the non-consumption group.
• In the prospective study, milk intake was inversely associated with hypertension risk

Increased intake of milk was inversely related to the risk of increased blood pressure, with a decreased risk of hypertension events.

Reference:

Hyein Jung et al. Association of milk consumption with management and incidence of hypertension among South Korean adults: A prospective analysis of the Health Examinees Study cohort. Published:August 06, 2022DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.numecd.2022.07.022

Keywords:

Hyein Jung, Geongu Lee, Kyungjoon Lim, Sangah Shin, blood pressure, hypertension, milk consumption, HEXA Study, South Korean, Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases