Milk consumption and health outcomes in Western and Asian populations

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend three cup equivalents of dairy per day, whereas the Nutrition Source recommends limiting consumption to one to two servings per day. The evidence underlying these recommendations is largely derived from studies conducted in Western populations with high baseline milk consumption. This commentary discusses evidence on milk consumption and health outcomes in Western and Asian populations. Differences across studies appear to be influenced not only by racial or ethnic background but also by baseline milk consumption, residual confounding and differences in the populations studied. Dietary guidance should consider population-specific baseline intake and contextual factors.