O1-5.3 The role of milk and dairy products in childhood obesity: evidence from the Hong Kong's "children of 1997" birth cohort

Abstract

<h3>Introduction</h3> Observational studies, mainly from western populations, suggest that dairy product consumption is inversely associated with adiposity. However, in such populations, there is a limited range of dairy product intake while dietary intake and obesity share social patterning making evidence from non-western developed settings valuable in distinguishing whether the observed associations are biologically mediated or socially confounded. <h3>Methods</h3> We used multivariable linear regression to examine the adjusted association of the frequency of milk or other dairy product consumption at 11 years with clinically measured body mass index (BMI) z-scores at about 13 years, relative to the 2007 WHO growth reference in a large (n=8327), population-representative Chinese birth cohort, comprising 88% of all births in Hong Kong in April and May 1997. <h3>Results</h3> Of the original 8327 cohort members, 7933 are alive, participating and living in Hong Kong. At approximately 13 years, 7488 had clinically assessed BMI. Socio-economic position was positively associated with frequency of milk and other dairy product consumption. Neither milk nor other dairy product consumption was associated with BMI z-score (milk −0.02, 95% CI −0.06 to 0.03 and dairy products 0.03, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.07), adjusted for sex, mother9s birthplace, highest parental education, pubertal stage, physical activity and other food consumption. <h3>Conclusions</h3> In a non-western setting, milk and other dairy product consumption was not associated with adiposity, suggesting that any observed anti-obesigenic effects in western settings may be due to socially patterned confounding by socio-economic position.