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Women over age 45 who regularly consumed three or more daily servings oflow-fat dairy products were 11 percent less likely to develop high bloodpressure. Researchers at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston attributedthe benefit to food sources of calcium and vitamin D because the preventativeeffect was not evident in participants taking dietary supplements. Studyresults appeared in the February 7, 2008, special edition of the journalHypertension (http://hyper.ahajournals.org).
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"High blood pressure is known as a 'silent killer' that affects one inthree adults, and while this study offers promise for reducing those numbers,less than one-quarter of adults eat enough low-fat dairy products to benefit,"said Andrea Garen, M.A., R.D., project manager at Dairy Council of California."Making small, simple changes over time, such as eating low-fat yogurt forbreakfast or drinking milk with meals, can increase calcium and vitamin Dintake in a sustainable way."
Garen suggests using the interactive Calcium Quiz(http://www.mealsmatter.org/EatingForHealth/Tools/cq.aspx) available on theMeals Matter website, http://www.mealsmatter.org, to assess current calciumintake and then explore the searchable database for calcium-rich recipes thatmake it easier to add low-fat dairy foods every day. When part of a diet richin fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, regular dairy consumptioncan reduce the risk of osteoporosis, prevent certain cancers and help maintaina healthy weight.
Sponsored by Dairy Council of California and staffed by registereddietitians, Meals Matter is a free, online family nutrition and meal-planningwebsite. For more information, please visit http://www.mealsmatter.org orhttp://www.dairycouncilofca.org.Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), clickappropriate link.Andrea Garen, M.A., R.D.https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=55338
SOURCE Dairy Council of California
