Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 22, 2026
Analyzing Beneficial Effects of Nutritional Supplements on Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Functions During Experimental Colitis
Published on: January 5, 2017
Dairy Products, Dietary Calcium, and Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Results From a European Prospective Cohort
Jorrit L Opstelten1, Max Leenders, Vincent K Dik
11Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; 2Department of Medicine, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom; 3Department of Gastroenterology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, Norwich, United Kingdom; 4Strangeways Research Laboratory, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; 5Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Nutritional Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; 6Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, GI Unit, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; 7Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; 8Gastroenterology-Hepatology Division, University Hospital Skane, Malmö, Sweden; 9Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; 10Department of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke (DIfE), Potsdam, Germany; 11Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; 12Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Research and Prevention Institute (ISPO), Florence, Italy; 13French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; 14Université Paris Sud, Paris, France; 15Department of Gastroenterology, Bicêtre University Hospital, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France; 16Diet, Genes and Environment, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark; 17Institute of Regional Research, Center Sønderjylland, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; 18Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; 19Cancer Registry and Histopathology Unit, "Civic-M.P. Arezzo" Hospital, Ragusa, Italy; 20Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, WHO Collaborating Center for Food and Nu
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.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
01:27Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
01:29Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic...
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:28Peptic Ulcer Disease III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Few clinical manifestations differentiate gastric ulcers from duodenal ulcers. Distinctions in the location, timing, and pain relief are crucial for healthcare providers in differentiating between gastric and duodenal ulcers during clinical assessments.