Frequency of consumption of selected indicator foods and serum cholesterol. GISSI-EFRIM investigators. Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto--Epidemiologia dei Fattori di Rischio dell'Infarto Miocardico

Cheese and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: A Review of the Evidence and Discussion of Possible Mechanisms

Currently, the effect of dairy products on cardiovascular risk is a topic much debated and with conflicting results. The purpose of this review is to give an overview of the existing literature regarding the effect of cheese intake and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies included reporting the intake of cheese and risk of CVD or risk markers of CVD represent four human intervention studies, nine prospective studies, one prospective case-cohort study, one prospective nested case-control study, five case-control studies, five cross-sectional studies and three correlation studies. The possible mechanisms that may be of importance include calcium, protein, fermentation and the fatty acid composition of cheese. Results from four prospective studies reported no association between cheese intake and CVD risk, whereas one reported an increased risk, two reported a decreased risk and one reported no association in men but a decreased risk in women. In addition, results from four intervention studies indicated no harmful effect on cholesterol concentrations when comparing fat intake from cheese with fat from butter. The underlying mechanisms for these findings still need to be elucidated.

Milk drinking, ischaemic heart disease and ischaemic stroke II. Evidence from cohort studies

OBJECTIVE

Milk consumption is considered a risk factor for vascular disease on the basis of relevant biological mechanisms and data from ecological studies. The aim was to identify published prospective studies of milk drinking and vascular disease, and conduct an overview.

DESIGN

The literature was searched for cohort studies, in which an estimate of the consumption of milk, or the intake of calcium from dairy sources, has been related to incident vascular disease.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Ischaemic heart disease and ischaemic stroke.

RESULTS

In total, 10 studies were identified. Their results show a high degree of consistency in the reported risk for heart disease and stroke, all but one study suggesting a relative risk of less than one in subjects with the highest intakes of milk. A pooled estimate of relative odds in these subjects, relative to the risk in subjects with the lowest consumption, is 0.87 (95% CI 0.74-1.03) for ischaemic heart disease and 0.83 (0.77-0.90) for ischaemic stroke. The odds ratio for any vascular event is 0.84 (0.78-0.90).

CONCLUSIONS

Cohort studies provide no convincing evidence that milk is harmful. While there still could be residual confounding from unidentified factors, the studies, taken together, suggest that milk drinking may be associated with a small but worthwhile reduction in heart disease and stroke risk.

SPONSORSHIP

The University of Wales College of Medicine and Bristol University. Current support is from the Food Standards Agency.