Hasn't it been proven that countries with higher milk intakes have higher rates of osteoporosis and fractures?
There are many factors involved in the development of osteoporosis including a family history of osteoporosis or fractures and lifestyle habits. The evidence does not support a link between higher dairy food intake and increased rates of fractures and osteoporosis.
Last updated 17/01/2024
Some studies have reported that countries with higher milk intakes have higher rates of osteoporosis and fractures. These largely observational studies do not imply a direct cause and effect and do not account for the many factors involved in the development of osteoporosis and fractures.
Countries with higher rates of fractures tend to be countries with longer life expectancies (e.g. Nordic countries).1 Fracture rates are now rising in non-Western countries (e.g. China) as they see increasing longevity in parallel with sedentary lifestyles.2
Many factors determine whether a person will develop osteoporosis and be at increased fracture risk. Genetics (race, sex, family disposition) and other lifestyle habits such as physical activity, smoking, alcohol-use, and certain medications and diseases, also have a major role to play in osteoporosis and fracture risk.3
Dairy food intake is not responsible for higher fracture rates, nor does dairy consumption alone guarantee strong healthy bones.4
Scientific evidence supports the role of calcium, particularly from dairy foods, vitamin D and weight bearing exercise for good bone health.
References
- 1. Cooper C, Cole ZA, Holroyd CR, Earl SC, Harvey NC, Dennison EM, Melton LJ, Cummings SR, Kanis JA, Epidemiology ICWGoF Secular trends in the incidence of hip and other osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporos Int. 2011;22(5):1277–1288. doi: 10.1007/s00198-011-1601-6.
- 2. Dare AJ, Hu G. China's evolving fracture burden. Lancet Glob Health. 2017 Aug;5(8):e736-e737. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30254-1. Epub 2017 Jun 27.
- 3. International Osteoporosis Foundation IOF Compendium of Osteoporosis 2017.
- 4. Bischoff-Ferrari HA et al. Milk intake and risk of hip fracture in men and women: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.J Bone Miner Res. 2011 Apr;26(4):833-9. doi:10.1002/jbmr.279.
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