Association between dairy consumption, dietary calcium intake and general and abdominal obesity among Iranian adults

To assess the association of dairy consumption and dietary calcium intake with general and abdominal obesity in a large sample of Iranian adults.

In this cross-sectional study, dairy consumption and dietary calcium intake were assessed using a validated dish-based 106-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in 6582 Iranian adults aged 18-55 years living in Isfahan. A self-administered validated questionnaire was used to collect data on anthropometric measures. Overweight or obesity was considered as body mass index ≥25 kg/m², and abdominal obesity as waist circumference ≥88 cm for women and ≥102 cm for men.

Mean age of study participants was 36.8 ± 8.1 years. Compared with the lowest quartile, men in the highest quartile of dietary calcium intake had greater odds for general obesity (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.03-1.60). This relationship was significant even after adjustment for age and energy intake (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.03-1.60). However, such relationship was not seen in women. No other significant associations were observed between dairy and dietary calcium intake with general or abdominal obesity.

Dietary calcium intake was positively associated with general obesity in men, but not in women. No significant association was seen between dairy consumption and general or central adiposity.