Frequency of dairy consumption and functional disability in older persons

To examine the association between dairy products consumption frequency and functional disability in older persons.

Data were from the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), consisting of 747 (324 men, 423 women) aged 65 years and older living in the community. Frequencies of milk and milk products consumption were obtained using a food frequency questionnaire and functional disability was assessed using the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and ADL scales. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association of dairy consumption frequency with IADL and ADL disability.

In men, dietary intake of dairy products was associated with a significantly reduced risk of IADL disability after controlling for known functional disability risk factors and other dietary factors (p for trend, 0.038). Compared with men who consumed dairy products < 1 time/week, those who consumed ≥ 1 time/day had a reduced risk of IADL disability (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-0.91). Meanwhile, milk and milk products consumption was not significantly associated with ADL disability. In women, dairy products consumption was not significantly associated with physical disability.

Frequent milk and milk products consumption is inversely associated with IADL disability in older men. Further research is needed to ascertain the protective effect of dairy products consumption on functional disability in older persons.