Dairy products, dietary calcium, and risk of inflammatory bowel disease: Results from a European prospective cohort investigation

Jorrit L. Opstelten, Max Leenders, Vincent K. Dik, Simon S M Chan, Fiona D M Van Schaik, Kay Tee Khaw, Robert Luben, Göran Hallmans, Pontus Karling, Stefan Lindgren, Olof Grip, Timothy J. Key, Francesca L. Crowe, Heiner Boeing, Manuela M. Bergmann, Kim Overvad, Domenico Palli, Giovanna Masala, Antoine Racine, Franck CarbonnelMarie Christine Boutron-Ruault, Anne Tjønneland, Anja Olsen, Vibeke Andersen, Rudolf Kaaks, Verena A. Katzke, Rosario Tumino, Antonia Trichopoulou, Peter D. Siersema, H. Bas Bueno-De-Mesquita, Andrew R. Hart, Bas Oldenburg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Dairy products may be involved in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease by modulating gut microbiota and immune responses, but data from epidemiological studies examining this relationship are limited. We investigated the association between prediagnostic intake of these foods and dietary calcium, and the subsequent development of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods: In total, 401,326 participants were enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. At recruitment, consumption of total and specific dairy products (milk, yogurt, and cheese) and dietary calcium was measured using validated food frequency questionnaires. Cases developing incident CD (n 110) or UC (n 244) during follow-up were matched with 4 controls. Conditional logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for total energy intake and smoking. Results: Compared with the lowest quartile, the ORs for the highest quartile of total dairy products and dietary calcium intake were 0.61 (95% CI, 0.32-1.19, p trend 0.19) and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.28-1.42, p trend 0.23) for CD, and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.50-1.30, p trend 0.40) and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.49-1.34, p trend 0.60) for UC, respectively. Compared with nonconsumers, individuals consuming milk had significantly reduced odds of CD (OR 0.30, 95% CI, 0.13-0.65) and nonsignificantly reduced odds of UC (OR 0.85, 95% CI, 0.49-1.47). Conclusions: Milk consumption may be associated with a decreased risk of developing CD, although a clear dose-response relationship was not established. Further studies are warranted to confirm this possible protective effect.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1403-1411
Number of pages9
JournalInflammatory Bowel Diseases
Volume22
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016 Jun 1

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Keywords

  • calcium
  • Crohn's disease
  • dairy products
  • etiology
  • ulcerative colitis

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