Inhibition of bone turnover by milk intake in postmenopausal women. Dairy Intake Is Protective against Bone Loss in Older Vitamin D Supplement Users: The Framingham Study. Dairy intakes affect bone density in the elderly. Milk intake and bone mineral acquisition in adolescent girls: randomised, controlled intervention trial Fermented dairy products consumption is associated with attenuated cortical bone loss independently of total calcium, protein, and energy intakes in healthy postmenopausal women Prevalence of osteoporosis in men and determinants of changes in bone mass in a non-selected Spanish population Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. Effects of dairy products on bone and body composition in pubertal girls. Nutritional factors that influence change in bone density and stress fracture risk among young female cross-country runners. Dairy, calcium, and vitamin D intakes and prostate cancer risk in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Epidemiologic Follow-up Study cohort. Protective association of milk intake on the risk of hip fracture: results from the Framingham Original Cohort. Effects of dairy food supplements on bone mineral density in teenage girls A follow-up study on the effects of a milk supplement on bone mineral density of postmenopausal Chinese women in Malaysia. Calcium, vitamin D, milk consumption, and hip fractures: a prospective study among postmenopausal women. Nutrition influences skeletal development from childhood to adulthood: a study of hip, spine, and forearm in adolescent females. Calcium, vitamin D, dairy products, and risk of colorectal cancer in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort (United States) Skeletal site-dependent response of bone mineral density and quantitative ultrasound parameters following a 12-month dietary intervention using dairy products fortified with calcium and vitamin D: the Postmenopausal Health Study.
Increased postmenopausal bone turnover leads to bone loss and fragility fracture risk . In the absence of osteoporosis , risk preventive measures , particularly those modifying nutritional lifestyle , are appropriate . We tested the hypothesis that milk supplementation affects bone turnover related to biochemical markers in a direction that , in the long term , may be expected to reduce  postmenopausal bone loss .  Thirty healthy postmenopausal women aged 59.3 ( SD 3.3 ) years were enrolled in a prospect i ve crossover trial of 16 weeks . After a 4-week period of adaptation with diet providing 600 mg calcium plus 300 mg ingested as 250 ml semi-skimmed milk , participants were maintained during 6 weeks under the same 600 mg calcium diet and r and omized to receive either 500 ml semi-skimmed milk , thus providing a total of 1200 mg calcium , or no milk supplement . In the next 6 weeks they were switched to the alternative regimen . At the end of the each period , i.e. after 4 , 10 and 16 weeks , blood and urinary sample s were collected . The changes in blood variables between the periods of 6 weeks without and with milk supplementation were : for parathyroid hormone , -3.2 pg/ml ( P=0.0054 ) ; for crosslinked telopeptide of type I collagen , -624 pg/ml ( P<0.0001 ) ; for propeptide of type I procollagen , -5.5 ng/ml ( P=0.0092 ) ; for osteocalcin , -2.8 ng/ml ( P=0.0014 ) . In conclusion , a 6-week period of milk supplementation induced a decrease in several biochemical variables compatible with diminished bone turnover mediated by reduction in parathyroid hormone secretion . This nutritional approach to postmenopausal alteration in bone metabolism may be a valuable measure in the primary prevention of osteoporosis Background : Previous studies showed beneficial effects of specific dairy foods on bone health in middle-aged adults . Objective : We examined the association of milk , yogurt , cheese , cream , fluid dairy ( milk + yogurt ) , and milk + yogurt + cheese intakes with bone mineral density ( BMD ) and 4-y percentage of change in BMD [ ▵ % BMD ; femoral neck , trochanter , and lumbar spine ( LS ) ] . We further assessed whether these associations were modified by vitamin D supplement use in this cohort of older adults . Methods : Food-frequency question naire responses , baseline BMD ( hip and spine , n = 862 in 1988 - 1989 ) , and follow-up BMD ( n = 628 in 1992 - 1993 ) were measured in the Framingham study , a prospect i ve cohort study of older Caucasian men and women aged 67 - 93 y. Outcomes included baseline BMD and ▵ % BMD . Dairy-food intakes ( servings per week ) were converted to energy-adjusted residuals , and linear regression was used , adjusting for covariates . These associations were further examined by vitamin D supplement use . Results : The mean age of the participants was 75 y. In the full sample , dairy-food items were not associated with BMD ( P = 0.11 - 0.99 ) or with ▵ % BMD ( P = 0.29 - 0.96 ) . Among vitamin D supplement users , but not among nonusers , higher milk , fluid dairy , and milk + yogurt + cheese intakes were associated with higher LS BMD ( P = 0.011 - 0.009 ) . Among vitamin D supplement users , but not among nonusers , higher milk + yogurt + cheese intakes were protective against trochanter BMD loss ( P = 0.009 ) . Conclusions : In this population of older adults , higher intakes of milk , fluid dairy , and milk + yogurt + cheese were associated with higher LS BMD , and a higher intake of milk + yogurt + cheese was protective against trochanter BMD loss among vitamin D supplement users but not among nonusers . These findings underscore that the benefits of dairy intake on the skeleton may be dependent on vitamin D intake BACKGROUND Race and sex differences in the effect of diet on bone mineral density ( BMD ) at the hip in the elderly are unknown . OBJECTIVES This study related cross-sectional nutrient and dairy product consumption to hip BMD in white and black men and women aged > 60 y and evaluated the influence of nutrient and dairy product consumption on changes in BMD in a white cohort participating in a calcium , vitamin D , or placebo trial . DESIGN The Health Habits and History Question naire was used in 289 white women and 116 white men who participated in the trial and in 265 black women and 75 black men to predict total hip and femoral neck BMD or  changes in BMD . RESULTS Blacks had higher calcium intakes than did whites ( 700 and 654 mg/d , respectively ; P = 0.0094 ) , and men had higher calcium intakes than did women ( 735 and 655 mg/d , respectively ; P = 0.0007 ) . For men , the correlation between total hip BMD and dairy calcium intake after adjustment for age , race , and weight was 0.23 ( P < 0.005 ) ; this relation was not significant in women ( r = 0.02 , P = 0.12 ) . Similar results were found for femoral neck BMD . In the longitudinal study , calcium supplementation reduced bone loss from the total hip and femoral neck in those who consumed < 1.5 servings of dairy products/d and were < 72 y old . CONCLUSIONS Cross-sectional results indicated that higher dairy product consumption is associated with greater hip BMD in men , but not in women . Calcium supplementation protected both men and women from bone loss in the longitudinal study of whites Abstract Objectives : To investigate the effect of milk supplementation on total body bone mineral acquisition in adolescent girls . Design : 18 month , open r and omised intervention trial . Subjects : 82 white girls aged 12.2 ( SD 0.3 ) years , recruited from four secondary schools in Sheffield . Intervention : 568 ml ( one pint ) of whole or reduced fat milk per day for 18 months . Main outcome measures : Total body bone mineral content and bone mineral density measured by dual energy x ray absorptiometry . Outcome measures to evaluate mechanism included biochemical markers of bone turnover ( osteocalcin , bone alkaline phosphatase , deoxypyridinoline , N-telopeptide of type I collagen ) , and hormones important to skeletal growth ( parathyroid hormone , oestradiol , insulin-like growth factor I ) . Results : 80 subjects completed the trial .  Daily milk intake at baseline averaged 150 ml in both groups . The intervention group consumed , on average , an additional 300 ml a day throughout the trial . Compared with the control group , the intervention group had greater increases of bone mineral density ( 9.6 % v 8.5 % , P=0.017 ; repeated measures analysis of variance ) and bone mineral content ( 27.0 % v 24.1 % , P=0.009 ) . No significant differences in increments in height , weight , lean body mass , and fat mass were observed between the groups . Bone turnover was not affected by milk supplementation . Serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I increased in the milk group compared with the control group ( 35 % v 25 % , P=0.02 ) . Conclusion : Increased milk consumption significantly enhances bone mineral acquisition in adolescent girls and could favourably modify attainment of peak bone mass . Key messages Osteoporosis is a major public health problem ; 40 % of women will sustain an osteoporotic fracture Maximising peak bone mass at skeletal maturity may be one of the most important protective measures against fracture in later life Adolescence is a critical time for bone mineral acquisition An increase in milk consumption among adolescent girls result ed in significant gains in bone mineral over an 18 month period This simple intervention indicates that increased milk consumption may be associated with higher peak bone Summary A longitudinal analysis of bone microstructure in postmenopausal women of the Geneva Retirees Cohort indicates that age-related cortical bone loss is attenuated at non-bearing bone sites in fermented dairy products consumers , not in milk or ripened cheese consumers , independently of total energy , calcium , or protein intakes . Introduction Fermented dairy products ( FDP ) , including yogurts , provide calcium , phosphorus , and proteins together with prebiotics and probiotics , all being potentially beneficial for bone . In this prospect i ve cohort study , we investigated whether FDP , milk , or ripened cheese consumptions influence age-related changes of bone mineral density ( BMD ) and microstructure . Methods Dietary intakes were assessed at baseline and after 3.0 ± 0.5 years with a food frequency question naire in 482 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Geneva Retirees Cohort . Cortical ( Ct ) and trabecular ( Tb ) volumetric ( v ) BMD and microstructure at the distal radius and tibia were assessed by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computerized tomography , in addition to areal ( a ) BMD and body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry , at the same time points . Results At baseline , FDP consumers had lower abdominal fat mass and larger bone size at the radius and tibia . Parathyroid hormone and β-carboxyterminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen levels were inversely correlated with FDP consumption . In the longitudinal analysis , FDP consumption ( mean of the two assessment s ) was associated with attenuated loss of radius total vBMD and of Ct vBMD , area , and thickness . There was no difference in aBMD and at the tibia . These associations were independent of total energy , calcium , or protein intakes . For other dairy products categories , only milk consumption was associated with lower decrease of aBMD and of failure load at the radius . Conclusion In this prospect i ve cohort of healthy postmenopausal women , age-related Ct bone loss was attenuated at non-bearing bone sites in FDP consumers , not in milk or ripened cheese consumers , independently of total energy , calcium , or protein intakes . Study registration IS RCT N11865958 ( http://www.is rct n.com Osteoporotic studies conducted exclusively in men have been limited by the discrepancies in defining densitometric osteoporosis and , also , because osteoporosis has traditionally been associated only with women . The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence of  low bone mineral density ( BMD ) and osteoporotic fractures  as well as the rate of bone loss . The analysis of some risk factors for accelerated bone loss was also evaluated . Men aged 50 years and over , r and omly selected from the Oviedo municipal register ( n=308 ) , completed a question naire regarding risk factors related to osteoporosis ; they underwent two lateral radiographs of the dorsal and lumbar spine and a dual X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) study at the lumbar spine and hip . In the 4th year of the follow-up period , participants were invited to undergo repeats of the same tests that had been carried out in the initial study . The prevalence of densitometric osteoporosis  in men older than 50 years , st and ardized by age , was 8.1 % with regard to at least one of the four studied bone areas , with a slight increase with age . The prevalence of osteoporotic fracture , st and ardized by age , was 24.4 % , with a marked increase with age . Osteoporotic prevalent fracture was independently associated only with the rate of change in lumbar spine BMD . From all the osteoporotic risk factors analyzed , only low milk consumption and regular smoking were independently associated with loss of bone mass . In summary , prevalent osteoporotic fracture was independently associated with the rate of change in the lumbar spine BMD but not in the other segments studied . Avoiding smoking and ensuring an adequate milk intake might prevent the loss of bone mass in men OBJECTIVES This study examined whether higher intakes of milk and other calcium-rich foods during adult years can reduce the risk of  osteoporotic fractures .  METHODS This was a 12-year prospect i ve study among 77761 women , aged 34 through 59 years in 1980 , who had never used calcium supplements .  Dietary intake was assessed with a food-frequency question naire in 1980 , 1984 , and 1986 . Fractures of the proximal femur ( n = 133 ) and distal radius ( n = 1046 ) from low or moderate trauma were self-reported on biennial question naires . RESULTS We found no evidence that higher intakes of milk or calcium from food sources reduce fracture incidence . Women who drank two or more glasses of milk per day had relative risks of 1.45 for hip fracture ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] = 0.87 , 2.43 ) and 1.05 for forearm fracture ( 95 % CI = 0.88 , 1.25 ) when compared with women consuming one glass or less per week . Likewise , higher intakes of total  dietary calcium or calcium from dairy foods were not associated with decreased risk of hip or forearm fracture . CONCLUSIONS These data do not support the hypothesis that higher consumption of milk or other food sources of calcium  by adult women protects against hip or forearm fractures OBJECTIVE To study the effect of calcium supplementation with dairy products on the bone and body composition of pubertal girls . DESIGN R and omized control study with 12-month follow-up . SETTING General community . SUBJECTS Forty-eight white girls whose mean age was 11 years and sexual development at Tanner stage 2 . INTERVENTION One group 's diet was supplemented with dairy products to the recommended dietary allowance of 1200 mg calcium daily . The other group ate their usual diet . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Bone mineral content and density were measured at the radius , femoral neck , lumbar spine , and total body bone mineral by single-photon and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the start of the study and after 3 , 6 , 9 , and 12 months . Body composition ( lean body mass and body fat ) was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the same intervals . Serum calcium , phosphate , 25-hydroxyvitamin D , 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D , alkaline phosphatase , magnesium , and albumin concentrations were determined at the start and end of the study . The urinary calcium/creatinine ratio and hydroxyproline concentration were also determined . RESULTS The dairy group had higher intakes of calcium , phosphate , vitamin D , and protein than control subjects . The dairy group had significantly greater increases during the 1-year study in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine bones ( 22.8 % + /- 6.9 % vs 12.9 % + /- 8.3 % ) and in total body bone mineral ( 14.2 % + /- 7.0 % vs 7.6 % + /- 6.0 % ) than control subjects . Dietary calcium , phosphate , vitamin D , and protein intakes were associated with the lumbar bone density and total body bone calcium . There were no differences in serum or urinary biochemical values between the two groups at the start or end of the study . CONCLUSIONS Young girls whose dietary calcium intake was provided primarily by dairy products at or above the recommended dietary allowances had an increased rate of bone mineralization . Increased intake of dairy foods did not increase overall total or saturated fat intake and was not associated with excessive weight gain or increased body fat OBJECTIVE To identify nutrients , foods , and dietary patterns associated with stress fracture risk and changes in bone density among young female distance runners . DESIGN AND SETTING Two-year , prospect i ve cohort study . Observational data were collected in the course of a multicenter r and omized trial of the effect of oral contraceptives on bone health . PARTICIPANTS One hundred and twenty-five female competitive distance runners ages 18 - 26 years . ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS Dietary variables were assessed with a food frequency question naire . MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Bone mineral density and content ( BMD/ BMC ) of the spine , hip , and total body were measured annually by dual x-ray absorptiometry ( DEXA ) .  Stress fractures were recorded on monthly calendars , and had to be confirmed by radiograph , bone scan , or magnetic resonance imaging . RESULTS Seventeen participants had at least one stress fracture during follow-up . Higher intakes of calcium , skim milk , and dairy products were associated with lower rates of stress fracture . Each additional cup of skim milk consumed per day was associated with a 62 % reduction in stress fracture incidence ( P < .05 ) ; and a dietary pattern of high dairy and low fat intake was associated with a 68 % reduction ( P < .05 ) . Higher intakes of skim milk , dairy foods , calcium , animal protein , and potassium were associated with significant ( P < .05 ) gains in whole-body BMD and BMC . Higher intakes of calcium , vitamin D , skim milk , dairy foods , potassium , and a dietary pattern of high dairy and low fat were associated with significant gains in hip BMD . CONCLUSIONS In young female runners , low-fat dairy products and the major nutrients in milk ( calcium , vitamin D , and protein ) were associated with greater bone gains and a lower stress fracture rate . Potassium intake was also associated with greater gains in hip and whole-body BMD BACKGROUND Dairy intake may increase  prostate cancer  risk , but whether this is due to calcium 's suppression of circulating vitamin D remains unclear . Findings on calcium and vitamin D intake and prostate cancer are inconsistent . OBJECTIVE We examined the association of dairy , calcium , and vitamin D intake with  prostate cancer .  DESIGN In a prospect i ve study of 3612 men followed from 1982 - 1984 to 1992 for the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Epidemiologic Follow-up Study , 131 prostate cancer cases were identified .  Dietary intake was estimated from question naires completed in 1982 - 1984 . Relative risk ( RR ) and 95 % CIs were estimated by using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age , race , and other covariates . RESULTS Compared with men in the lowest tertile for dairy food intake , men in the highest tertile had a relative risk ( RR ) of 2.2 ( 95 % CI : 1.2 , 3.9 ; trend P = 0.05 ) . Low-fat milk was associated with increased risk ( RR = 1.5 ; 95 % CI : 1.1 , 2.2 ; third compared with first tertile ; trend P = 0.02 ) , but whole milk was not ( RR = 0.8 ; 95 % CI : 0.5 , 1.3 ; third compared with first tertile ; trend P = 0.35 ) . Dietary calcium was also strongly associated with increased risk ( RR = 2.2 ; 95 % CI : 1.4 , 3.5 ; third compared with first tertile ; trend P = 0.001 ) . After adjustment for calcium intake , neither vitamin D nor phosphorus was clearly associated with risk . CONCLUSIONS Dairy consumption may increase prostate cancer risk through a calcium-related pathway . Calcium and low-fat milk have been promoted to reduce risk of osteoporosis and colon cancer . Therefore , the mechanisms by which dairy and calcium might increase prostate cancer risk should be clarified and confirmed Dairy foods are rich in bone-beneficial nutrients , yet the role of dairy foods in hip fracture prevention remains controversial . Our objective was to evaluate the association of milk , yogurt , cheese , cream , and milk + yogurt intakes with  incident hip fracture in the Framingham Original Cohort . A total of 830 men and women from the Framingham Original Cohort , a prospect i ve cohort study , completed a food-frequency question naire ( 1988 to 1989 ) and were followed for hip fracture until 2008 . In this population -based study , Cox-proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios ( HR ) by categories of energy-adjusted dairy intake ( servings/wk ) , adjusting for st and ard confounders and covariates . The exposure was energy-adjusted intakes of milk , yogurt , cheese , cream , and milk + yogurt ( servings/wk ) . Risk of hip fracture over the follow-up was the primary outcome ; the hypothesis being tested was formulated after data collection . The mean age at baseline was 77 years ( SD 4.9 , range 68 to 96 ) . Ninety-seven hip fractures occurred over the mean follow-up time of 11.6 years ( range 0.04 to 21.9 years ) . The mean ± SD ( servings/wk ) of dairy intakes at baseline were : milk = 6.0 ± 6.4 ; yogurt = 0.4 ± 1.3 ; cheese = 2.6 ± 3.1 ; and cream = 3.4 ± 5.5 . Participants with medium ( > 1 and < 7 servings/wk ) or higher ( ≥7 servings/wk ) milk intake tended to have lower hip fracture risk than those with low ( ≤1 serving/wk ) intake ( high versus low intake HR 0.58 , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] 0.31 - 1.06 , p = 0.078 ; medium versus low intake HR 0.61 , 95 % CI 0.36 - 1.08 , p = 0.071 ; p trend = 0.178 ] . There appeared to be a threshold for milk , with 40 % lower risk of hip fracture among those with medium/high milk intake compared with those with low intake ( p = 0.061 ) . A similar threshold was observed for  milk  + yogurt intake ( p = 0.104 ) . These associations were further attenuated after adjustment for femoral neck bone mineral density . No significant associations were seen for other dairy foods ( p range = 0.117 to 0.746 ) . These results suggest that greater intakes of milk and milk + yogurt may lower risk for hip fracture in older adults through mechanisms that are partially , but not entirely , attributable to effects on bone mineral density Summary Background Bone mineral density ( BMD ) is largely genetically determined and this influence is most powerful in the period of rapid skeletal development in childhood and late adolescence but environmental factors such as exercise and dietary calcium intake may influence up to 20 % . Aims of the study The aims of the study were to examine healthy late adolescent females for the effects and benefits of a high calcium intake from dairy product foods on bone mineral density , body composition , lipids and biochemistry . The secondary aim is determine whether a high intake of dairy product foods in the diet is acceptable for this age group long term . Methods Ninety-one teenage girls who participated in a two-year r and omised controlled study on the effect of dairy food supplementation on dietary patterns , body composition and bone density in post-pubertal teenage girls were approached one year after the cessation of the study to determine the effects of the cessation of dairy supplements on bone mineral density , dietary habits , biochemical markers , body composition and blood lipids . Bone mineral density and bone mineral content were assessed at the hip , spine and total body . Anthropometric data were collected , and exercise , Tanner , dietary assessment , preference and compliance question naires were administered . Lipid profiles , hydroxyproline excretion and urinary calcium and sodium excretion measurements were performed . Results There were no significant differences between the 2 groups for height , weight , lean and fat mass . The supplemented group had significantly higher calcium , phosphorus and protein intake during the supplementation period ( p<0.001 ) . No differences were seen between the groups 12 months after supplementation finished . There were no significant differences in exercise level , preference or acceptability of dairy products or in the lipids and bone markers between baseline the end of supplementation and 1 year follow-up . There was a significant increase in trochanter ( 4.6 % ) , lumbar spine ( 1.5 % ) and femoral neck ( 4.8 % ) BMD ( p<0.05 ) in the high calcium group at the end of supplementation . There was an increase in bone mineral content at the trochanter ( p<0.05 ) and lumbar spine ; however the latter was not statistically significant , in the high calcium group at the end of supplementation . There was no difference in vertebral height or width at any stage of the study , indicating no influence on bone size . Conclusions In this 3 year study ( 2 years of supplementation , 1 year follow-up ) , teenage girls , aged 15–18 years , were able to significantly increase their BMD at the trochanter , femoral neck and lumbar spine when supplemented with dairy product foods to a mean calcium intake of 1160 mg/d . There was also an effect seen on the BMC particularly at the trochanter and to a lesser extent at the lumbar spine . The dietary calcium intake achieved did not adversely affect body weight , fat and lean mass or blood lipid profiles . Twelve months after the supplementation finished the girls had returned to their baseline diet , indicating self- selection of a high dairy product diet may be hard to achieve BACKGROUND A previous study on a r and omized controlled trial in 173 postmenopausal Chinese women in Kuala Lumpur showed that milk supplementation was effective to reduce bone loss at the total body , lumbar spine , femoral neck and total hip compared to the control group on a usual diet ( Chee et al. 2003 ) . OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine whether the results were sustained after the conclusion of the study . DESIGN A follow-up study , 18 months after a r and omized controlled trial of milk supplementation was concluded . A total of 139 participants were followed up 21 months after the study ended . Bone mineral density ( BMD ) was measured at the total body , lumbar spine , femoral neck and total hip by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry , and anthropometric measurements as well as changes in dietary habits were measured . RESULTS At the follow-up , the milk supplement group did not show significant bone loss from baseline at most sites ( mean differences + /- SE ) ( total body 0.42 + /- 0.25 % , femoral neck 0.44 + /- 0.58 % , total hip -0.06 + /- 0.46 % ) , unlike the control group ( total body -1.07 + /- 0.28 % p < 0.005 , femoral neck -1.49 + /- 0.56 % p < 0.05 , total hip -0.89 + /- 0.57 % p < 0.05 ) . However , both the milk and control groups showed bone loss from baseline at the lumbar spine ( milk -2.01 % , control -3.29 % , p superior 0.05 ) . The calcium intake of the milk group remained significantly higher than the control group ( milk 710 mg/day , control 466 mg/day , p < 0.005 ) despite discontinuation of the milk supplement . CONCLUSIONS The results showed that some of the beneficial effects of a milk supplement were still evident at follow-up and it was possible to motivate subjects to adopt a positive change in dietary calcium intake after intervention BACKGROUND Short trials of calcium supplementation show that it reduces loss of bone density in postmenopausal women ; longer observational studies do not generally find a lower risk of hip fracture with higher-calcium diets . Fewer studies have focused on vitamin D in preventing postmenopausal osteoporosis or fractures . OBJECTIVE We assessed relations between postmenopausal hip fracture risk and calcium , vitamin D , and milk consumption . DESIGN In an 18-y prospect i ve analysis in 72 337 postmenopausal women , dietary intake and nutritional supplement use were assessed at baseline in 1980 and up date d several times during follow-up . We identified 603 incident hip fractures result ing from low or moderate trauma .  Relative risks ( RRs ) from proportional hazards models were controlled for other dietary and nondietary factors . RESULTS Women consuming > or = 12.5 microg vitamin D/d from food plus supplements had a 37 % lower risk of hip fracture ( RR = 0.63 ; 95 % CI : 0.42 , 0.94 ) than did women consuming < 3.5 microg/d . Total calcium intake was not associated with hip fracture risk ( RR = 0.96 ; 95 % CI : 0.68 , 1.34 for > or = 1200 compared with < 600 mg/d ) . Milk consumption was also not associated with a lower risk of hip fracture ( P for trend = 0.21 ) . CONCLUSIONS An adequate vitamin D intake is associated with a lower risk of osteoporotic hip fractures in postmenopausal women . Neither milk nor a high-calcium diet appears to reduce risk . Because women commonly consume less than the recommended intake of vitamin D , supplement use or dark fish consumption may be prudent This study evaluated the long-term efficacy of supplemental calcium and dairy products on bone mineral areal density of the hip and spine and on the bone geometry and volumetric bone mineral density of the forearm in young females during late adolescence . The study was conducted among participants of a r and omized double-blinded , placebo-controlled clinical trial with calcium supplements and among participants of an observational study with higher consumption of dairy products .  Hip and spine measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were done every 6 mo ( dairy group every 12 mo ) during last 3 y of the follow-up while peripheral quantitative computerized tomography of the forearm was done at the last visit . The results of the study show a positive influence of calcium supplementation and dairy products on bone mineral density of the hip and the forearm . Dairy products were also associated with a higher bone mineral density of the spine while calcium supplementation did not have an effect . Calcium exerts its action on bone accretion during growth primarily by influencing volumetric bone mineral density while milk may have an additional impact on bone growth and periosteal bone expansion Objective : Calcium , vitamin D , and dairy product intake may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer . We therefore examined the association between these factors and risk of colorectal cancer in a large prospect i ve cohort of United States men and women . Methods : Participants in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort completed a detailed question naire on diet , medical history , and lifestyle in 1992–93 . After excluding participants with a history of cancer or incomplete dietary information , 60,866 men and 66,883 women remained for analysis . During follow-up through 31 August 1997 we documented 421 and 262 cases of incident colorectal cancers among men and women , respectively . Multivariate-adjusted rate ratios ( RR ) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models . Results :  Total calcium  intake ( from diet and supplements ) was associated with marginally lower colorectal cancer risk in men and women ( RR = 0.87 , 95 % CI 0.67–1.12 , highest vs lowest quintiles , p trend = 0.02 ) . The association was strongest for calcium from supplements ( RR = 0.69 , 95 % CI 0.49–0.96 for ≥500 mg/day vs none ) . Total vitamin D intake ( from diet and multivitamins ) was also inversely associated with risk of colorectal cancer , particularly among men ( RR = 0.71 , 95 % CI 0.51–0.98 , p trend = 0.02  ) .  Dairy product intake was not related to overall risk . Conclusions : Our results support the hypothesis that calcium modestly reduces risk of colorectal cancer . Vitamin D was associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer only in men The aim of the current study was to examine whether calcium supplementation could prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women or more favourable outcomes could be obtained via the consumption of dairy products fortified with calcium and vitamin D3 . For this purpose changes in bone mineral density ( BMD ) at different skeletal sites , assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry , as well as in quantitative ultrasound ( QUS ) parameters of the calcaneus over 12 months were estimated . A population of 101 postmenopausal women ( 55 - 65 years old ) was r and omized into a dairy group ( DG : n 39 ) , receiving approximately 1200 mg calcium/d and 7.5 microg vitamin D3/d through fortified dairy products ; a calcium-supplemented group ( CaG : n 26 ) provided with a calcium supplement of 600 mg/d ; and a control group ( CG : n 36 ) . Over the intervention period the DG was found to have more favourable changes in pelvis ( P=0.040 ) , total spine ( P<0.001 ) and total body BMD ( P<0.001 ) than the other groups . A significant increase was also observed for DG in lumbar spine BMD ( 2.0 % ; 95 % CI 0.5 , 3.5 ) although it did not differentiate significantly compared to the other groups . No significant differences were observed with respect to the changes in QUS parameters . The current study revealed that recommended intakes of vitamin D3 and calcium via fortified dairy products for 12 months can induce favourable changes in pelvis , total spine and total body BMD in postmenopausal women but not in QUS parameters . No such favourable changes were observed via supplementation of calcium alone
In conclusion , the role of dairy products for BMC or BMD has been sufficiently established in Chinese and Caucasian girls and women .
In Caucasian women , drinking milk also reduces fracture risk .
The relevance of dairy produce for the diminishment of osteoporotic risk is still a matter of scientific debate due to the outcome of a few single observational studies .