New research shows that women who frequently consume fat-free or low-fat milk may delay the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The results of the study, published in Arthritis Care & Research, also show that yogurt did not impact OA progression in men or women, while women who ate cheese sawn an increase in knee OA progression. For the study, 2,148 participants with knee OA were recruited for the Osteoarthritis Initiative. The subjects included 888 men and 1,260 women who received follow-up at 12, 24, 36, and 48 months.
At the beginning of the study, dietary data was collected and joint space width was measured by x-ray to evaluate OA progression. According to a news report from Science Daily, as the intake of milk increased from none to less than 3, 4 to 6, and more than 7 glasses per week, the joint space width in women also decreased by 0.38mm, 0.29mm, 0.29mm and 0.26mm, respectively. The results persisted even after adjusting for body mass index (BMI), dietary factors, and disease severity.
The results of the study reveal that no association between milk consumption and joint space width decrease was reported in men.
Lead author of the study Bing Lu, MD, DrPH, states, “Milk consumption plays an important role in bone health.” Lu adds, “Our findings indicate that women who frequently drink milk may reduce the progression of OA. Further study of milk intake and delay in OA progression are needed.”
Sources: Arthritis Care & Research, Science Daily
