Association of calcium intake, dairy product consumption with overweight status in young adults (1995-1996): The Bogalusa Heart Study

Objective: To examine the association between calcium intake and dairy product consumption with overweight and obesity in young adults. Methods: The sample used in this study consisted of 1306 young adults, ages 19-38 years, who participated in the 1995-1996 young adult survey. Analysis was performed with analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for ethnicity-gender groups separately. Results: No significant association was found between dairy product consumption, calcium intake and overweight, defined by body mass index or waist circumference. However, there was a significant inverse association between calcium intake, low-fat dairy product consumption and waist-to-hip ratio in white males. Conclusion: Increasing intake of calcium and low-fat dairy products may be associated with lower abdominal adiposity, particularly in young adult white males.