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Abstract
Overweight and obesity are the foremost public health problems in the U.S., other industrialized countries, and is rapidly increasing in developing countries. Obesity is a multifaceted disease which requires multiple approaches to successfully combat its increase. Nutritional factors play a key role and include modification of energy balance, intake and expenditure, as well as other factors. Emerging scientific evidence over the past decade suggests that dairy foods may be beneficial when included in a moderate energy restricted diet and possibly for weight maintenance as well. This paper provides a review of some of the scientific evidence that has examined the effect of dairy foods and dietary calcium on weight management. Topic areas presented are observational or retrospective studies with adults as well as children and adolescents; randomized clinical trials on body weight and composition, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation and fecal fat loss; research from animal and in vitro studies provide possible mechanisms of action.
Key teaching points:
•Observational studies demonstrate significant inverse association between dairy or calcium intake and body weight, body fat or BMI.
•Randomized clinical trials (RCT) in overweight or obese adults demonstrate greater weight and fat loss when dairy or calcium intakes are increased in conjunction with moderate energy restriction.
•Conflicting RCT results showing no difference in weight or fat loss may be the result of initially higher levels of calcium or dairy intake prior to calorie restriction.
•Diets with increased dairy intake do not increase weight regain when incorporated into a balanced weight maintenance diet plan.
•Increased calcium may stimulate calcium influx into adipocytes, activate lipogensis, and inhibit lipolysis.
•Increased dairy products or dietary calcium may bind as insoluble soap reducing fat absorption and increasing fecal fat excretion.
•Research is needed to more fully evaluate molecular mechanisms responsible for the observed effect of dairy foods and/or calcium on weight and fat losses.
Key teaching points:
•Observational studies demonstrate significant inverse association between dairy or calcium intake and body weight, body fat or BMI.
•Randomized clinical trials (RCT) in overweight or obese adults demonstrate greater weight and fat loss when dairy or calcium intakes are increased in conjunction with moderate energy restriction.
•Conflicting RCT results showing no difference in weight or fat loss may be the result of initially higher levels of calcium or dairy intake prior to calorie restriction.
•Diets with increased dairy intake do not increase weight regain when incorporated into a balanced weight maintenance diet plan.
•Increased calcium may stimulate calcium influx into adipocytes, activate lipogensis, and inhibit lipolysis.
•Increased dairy products or dietary calcium may bind as insoluble soap reducing fat absorption and increasing fecal fat excretion.
•Research is needed to more fully evaluate molecular mechanisms responsible for the observed effect of dairy foods and/or calcium on weight and fat losses.
Notes
This manuscript is based on a presentation by Marta Van Loan titled “Evidence for the Role of Dairy Foods in Nutrient Adequacy and Chronic Disease Risk Reduction”, 2008 Annual Meeting, American College of Nutrition, October 2–4, 2008, Alexandria, VA.