Dairy Food Consumption and Health-Related Quality of Life in Boys: Preliminary Findings from a 5-Year Cohort Study

Abstract

Objectives: There are few reported data on the relationship between dairy food consumption and health-related quality of life (QOL). In this cohort study, we aimed to assess the association between dairy food intake and QOL scores during adolescence.

Methods: Of the 1216 participants who were followed up over 5 years (i.e., from age 12 to 17), 858 participants had complete data on dietary intakes and information on QOL scores at the 5-year survey. Dairy consumption was assessed from validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires. Health-related QOL was assessed by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL).

Results: Among adolescent boys, after multivariable adjustment, those in the highest tertile of yogurt consumption compared to those in the lowest tertile of consumption had 4.7, 5.9, and 9.1 units higher for total score (p-trend = 0.03), and psychosocial health summary (p-trend = 0.02), and school functioning scores (p-trend = 0.01). Boys who remained in the highest tertile compared to the lowest tertile of yogurt consumption during adolescence from ages 12 to 17 had 7.4 and 12.4 units higher psychosocial health summary (p-trend = 0.04) and school functioning scores (p-trend = 0.02), respectively. Nonsignificant associations were observed among girls and with total dairy intake and milk and cheese consumption.

Conclusions: Yogurt consumption in boys could influence health-related QOL scores. Given that ours is an observational study we cannot establish a causal nature and direction of the relationship between yogurt intake and quality of life, our findings require further confirmation and clarification by other studies.

Key words:

• adolescents
• quality of life
• dairy
• yogurt

Author Contributions

The authors' responsibilities were as follows: B.G. and P.M. contributed to the study concept and design; P.M. contributed to the acquisition of the data; G.B carried out the analysis of the data; B.G., V.M.F., J.C.Y.L., L.A.B., G.B., and P.M. were involved in the interpretation of the data; B.G. drafted the article; B.G., V.M.F., J.C.Y.L., L.A.B., and P.M. contributed to the critical revision of the article. All authors read and approved the final article.

Funding

The Sydney Childhood Eye Study was supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (253732); the Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney; the Vision Co-operative Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney; and Dairy Australia, Melbourne, Australia. These funding agencies had no influence on the conclusions drawn.