More dairy reduces chances of a stroke

Published on Monday 27 July 2009 22:03

CHILDREN who eat a lot of dairy products are less likely to die from strokes in adulthood than those who consume little, researchers said today.

Diets rich in calcium can cut the chance of dying from stroke by as much as 60 per cent, they said. Experts examined results from a 1930s study into the diets of mainly working-class families in Britain.

The average daily family intake of dairy products ranged from 89g a day in the lowest group to 471g a day in the highest group.

On average, 94 per cent of dairy intake was due to drinking milk. There is 400mg of calcium in 50g of cheddar cheese, or just over half a pint of milk.

A total of 4,374 children were successfully traced and followed up 65 years later.

The researchers, from the University of Bristol and the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia, analysed the calcium content of their diets in the original study and found those with the highest calcium intakes had the lowest risk of dying from stroke.

The research was published in the journal Heart.