Effective Factors on the Amount and Type of Consumption Milk in Ardabil City of Iran: A Descriptive Study

Background: Among various food products, milk is among the most basic nutrient foods. Studies demonstrated that consumption of milk and its products are low in Iranian   families. This study was conducted to investigate the type and amount of milk consumption in Ardabil city in 2015-2016. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted among 300 people (199 female and 101 male), who referred to health centers of Ardabil. The participants were selected from both genders of healthy people with no diseases aged ≥18 years. Some questioners were applied to measure milk consumption. Results: Of 300 studied people, 51.67% consumed pasteurized milk, 40.67% consumed fresh (Bulk) milk, and 4.67% used both of them, while 3% did not use any type of milk. Among the milk company brands, Mihan was the first choice and had the highest consumption rate; 87% of people paid attention to the quality of milk in choosing one brand. Most people used Teflon cookware for boiling milk and many of them used a glass bottle for storing it. Conclusion: Posturized milk has the highest consumption rate. A few people did not consume milk in Ardabil and the quality of milk was the most important factor for its consumption.  A significant association was found between the type of consumed milk and the individuals' educational level, age, and the household head's educational status.  More extensive studies at the national level should be conducted to investigate the causes and effective factors in solving the current problems with regard to milk consumption.