CONSUMPTION OF CHEESE AND MILK AND CHRONIC DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY, FRIEND OR FOE?

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and especially the obstruction of the coronary arteries are the main health expenditure in most of the countries. However, France, according to WHO, has the lowest mortality from these causes but shows a high dietary intake of saturated fats, known as the French paradox. In addition, consumption of wine, small food intakes, regular exercise, increased intake of fruits and vegetables rich in dietary fiber, flavonoids and phytosterols and also cheese comsumption, are factors which together contribute to the paradox. There areseveral studies which link fat intake and CVD but not showing a high correlation. This fact could be justified by the divergent effect of saturated fat on lipoproteins. Dairy products content saturated fats, however recentlystudies have found an inverse correlation between its consumption and CVD, possibly due to their content of trans fatty acid palmitoleic, which allows to increase the levels of HDL cholesterol, decrease C reactive protein and triglicerides. In general, dairy products have an important variety of nutrients which can have several health benefits improving the response to insulin, adiponectin levels increase and decrease the presence of obesity, among other effects. Meanwhile, consumption of cheese, may have positive health effects, for example, is able toprevent cardiovascular infarctions, descend plasma TAGs and increases HDL cholesterol. This paper shows the results of several studies linking consumption of cheese with non-communicable diseases with special emphasis on CVD. The displayed data allow us to conclude that regular consumption has more beneficial than detrimental effects.