Increased use of dairy and milk diet linked to higher risk of stroke and angina mortality: Study

NORWAY: According to research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, individuals with stable angina who consumed more milk and other dairy products had a higher risk of stroke and mortality.

The researchers observed that cheese eating decreased the risk of acute MI, whereas butter consumption raised the risk.

Cardiovascular illnesses are the primary cause of death worldwide and significantly lower quality of life, making them a large burden on health care systems. Long-standing studies have linked dietary habits, in particular the amount of fat consumed, to the modification of cardiovascular risk. For cardiovascular prophylaxis, it is advised to consume fewer dairy products and to utilize low-fat products; however, additional characteristics than fat content affect their metabolic processes. There is still much controversy over the link between dairy products and the risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease.

The risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality were investigated by the authors as being related to total dairy and dairy product intake.

Van Parys and colleagues looked at 1,929 participants from the Western Norway B-vitamin Intervention Trial who had stable angina in a prospective observational analysis to determine the association between dairy consumption and risk for acute MI, stroke, CV mortality, and all-cause death. A 169-item food frequency questionnaire used by researchers provided information on participants' use of milk, cheese, butter, and all other dairy products. The cohort's mean age was 61.8 years, and 80% of the participants were male. The median follow-up period changed for each evaluated CVD factor. The mean follow-up time was 14.1 years for death, 5.2 years for acute MI, and 7.8 years for stroke.

Conclusive points of the trial:

• Total dairy and milk consumption was linked to a greater risk of stroke (1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.27; milk HR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02-1.27), CV mortality (1.06; 95% CI, 1-1.12; milk HR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.13), and all-cause death (1.07; 95% CI, 1.03-1.11; milk HR= 1.06; 95% CI, 1.03-1.1), per 50 g/1,000 kcal.
• An increased risk of acute MI (HR = 1.1; 95% CI, 0.97-1.24) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.1; 95% CI, 1-1.2) was also associated with eating butter (5 g/1,000 kcal).
• An increase in cheese consumption was associated with a lower incidence of acute MI (HR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.83-1.02) per 10 g/1,000 kcal.

The researchers came to the conclusion that "the varied risk relationships reported for distinct dairy products provide further evidence for the analysis of individual dairy products, rather than total dairy, in future investigations."

REFERENCE

Anthea Van Parys, Jostein Sæle, Nathalie G Puaschitz, Åslaug Matre Anfinsen, Therese Karlsson, Thomas Olsen, Teresa R Haugsgjerd, Kathrine J Vinknes, Kirsten B Holven, Jutta Dierkes, Ottar K Nygård, Vegard Lysne, The association between dairy intake and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with stable angina pectoris, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2022;, zwac217, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjpc/zwac217