Dairy consumption and circulating levels of inflammatory markers among Iranian women.

OBJECTIVE Although recent studies have shown an inverse relationship between dairy consumption and metabolic abnormalities, we are aware of no study evaluating the association between dairy consumption and circulating levels of inflammatory markers. The current study was undertaken to assess the association between the consumption of high-fat and low-fat dairy products and circulating levels of inflammatory markers among Tehrani women aged 40-60 years. DESIGN In a cross-sectional study of 486 apparently healthy women aged 40-60 years, we assessed usual dietary intakes by means of an FFQ. Anthropometric measurements were made and fasting blood samples were taken for measuring inflammatory markers. RESULTS The reported mean (SD) daily intake of low- and high-fat dairy consumption was 85 (SD 23) and 101 (SD 29) g/d, respectively. After control for age, BMI, waist circumference and other potential confounders, low-fat dairy consumption was inversely associated with C-reactive protein (beta = -0.04), IL-6 (beta = -0.02) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (beta = -0.06); with further adjustment for dietary intakes, the associations remained significant just for soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (beta = -0.03). High-fat dairy intake was positively associated with log-transformed values of serum amyloid A (beta = 0.08) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (beta = 0.05), both before and after adjustment for all potential confounding variables. No overall significant associations were found between total dairy consumption and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS The current study indicates an independent relationship between high-fat as well as low-fat dairy consumption, not total dairy intake, and some markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Further studies are required to identify responsible components of dairy products and related mechanisms of action.