Look at the science

There continues to be encouraging news about the correlation between dairy and body mass index (BMI). A study published in the Nutrition & Diabetes journal showed that higher total dairy intake was associated with lower BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference and blood pressure. This study followed 1,500 healthy Irish adults using a four-day food diary. It did moderate its views as to types of dairy consumed in combination with other foods. “These results suggest that while milk and yogurt consumption is associated with a favourable body phenotype, the blood lipid profiles are less favourable when eaten as part of a low-fat, high carbohydrate dietary pattern. More research is needed to better understand this association,” the study reported.

The amount of work being done on diets is encouraging and the good news is that it is largely very positive for dairy consumers. It seems the more research is done, the better dairy looks with its dietary profile. What we’ve known anecdotally is now being confirmed through scientific facts and research, which is gratifying. It is not often you can get products that satisfy your greedy instincts and also your health requirements, but dairy does do that.

In other news, it may make sense to follow Tetra Pak around the globe and look at where the packaging giant is investing. For example, the company has recently signed an agreement with Lahore University in Pakistan for sponsoring participants in its certificate in dairy management. This is quite a timely intervention, as the US Agency for International Development says Pakistan is one of the world’s largest milk producers, with around 35 million people involved in the sector – but it needs help with Inadequate management practices. USAID has recently finished a five-year $21 million (€19.8m) project for dairy and agriculture programme reforms in the country.