Role of Calcium and Low-Fat Dairy Foods in Weight-Loss Outcomes Revisited: Results from the Randomized Trial of Effects on Bone and Body Composition in Overweight/Obese Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

Several studies have investigated the possibility of dairy foods and calcium (Ca) mediating weight and body composition, but a consensus has not been reached. We aimed to investigate weight-loss-related outcomes during intervention with low-fat dairy foods or Ca + vitamin D supplements, both as complements to hypocaloric diets. Overweight/obese Caucasian, early-postmenopausal women (n = 135) were recruited for a 6 month energy-restricted weight loss study complemented with either low-fat dairy foods (D; 4–5 servings/day), or Ca + vitamin D supplements (S); both to amount a total of ~1500 mg/day and 600 IU/day of Ca and vitamin D, respectively, or placebo pills (C). Bone mineral density (BMD) and lean and fat tissue were measured by Lunar iDXA. Serum and urinary markers of bone turnover were analyzed. Diet and physical activity were assessed with 3-day records. Participants on average lost ~4%, ~3%, and ~2% of body weight, fat, and lean tissue, respectively. The significantly better outcomes were noticed in participants in the D group regarding body composition (fat loss/lean tissue preservation) and in participants in the S group regarding the BMD outcomes, compared to those in the C group. Therefore, increasing low-fat dairy foods to 4–5 servings/day and/or increasing Ca & vitamin D intake by supplements (in those who are at the borderline dietary intake) may be beneficial for weight loss/maintenance and may lead to more favorable bone and body composition outcomes in postmenopausal women during moderate weight loss.

Assessment of Body Composition and Dietary Intake in Nursing-Home Residents: Could Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic Be Used to Prevent Future Casualties in Older Individuals?

“…Calcium and magnesium are well known for their role in bone, muscle, and adipose tissue health [ 64 , 80 ], and they will not be discussed further here. However, an interesting recent study conducted in Croatian nursing homes reported a low dietary calcium intake (528 ± 279 mg/day women and 653 ± 296 mg/day, men) in 292 older (>80 years) participants [ 81 ].…”

Nutritional and Behavioral Approaches to Body Composition and Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation Management for Older Adults in the Ordinary and COVID-19 Times

“…Calcium and magnesium are best known for their roles in bone metabolism and muscle health and the former, along with dairy products, is also implicated in weight loss/maintenance by attenuating adiposity [ 62 ]. Based on national surveys, calcium and magnesium are still at a lower or marginal intake in the US population, even when supplements are taken into consideration [ 44 ].…”

“…Based on national surveys, calcium and magnesium are still at a lower or marginal intake in the US population, even when supplements are taken into consideration [ 44 ]. An abundance of literature is available for the beneficial effect of calcium on bone and weight [ 32 , 62 ] and the role of magnesium in muscle [ 63 ] and adipose tissue through its regulation of insulin sensitivity and serum glucose [ 64 , 65 ]. Therefore, these functions will not be elaborated on here.…”

Association between dietary mineral nutrient intake, body mass index, and waist circumference in U.S. adults using quantile regression analysis NHANES 2007–2014

“…Epidemiological studies have shown that many people with obesity have inadequate intake of certain micronutrients, such as deficient in iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and copper (Agarwal et al, 2015;Astrup & Bügel, 2019). Various studies suggested that there was a negative correlation between calcium intake and BMI, and that calcium intake can improve weight outcomes in overweight or obese individuals (Ilich et al, 2019;Lee & Cho, 2017;Rautiainen et al, 2016;Wadolowska et al, 2018;Zhu et al, 2013). A cross-sectional study in Poland showed that daily intake of minerals in postmenopausal females was related to BMI, overweight individuals have lower potassium and magnesium intakes, and higher sodium intake (Głąbska et al, 2016).…”

“…High-dietary phosphorus, especially from foods processed with phosphate salts may be positively correlated with obesity (Anderson, 2013). Recent studies have shown that the mineral supplements can reduce body weight and inflammation and improve lipid metabolism, such as mineral supplements of calcium (Ilich et al, 2019), magnesium (De Baaij, Hoenderop & Bindels, 2015), zinc, copper and selenium (Khorsandi et al, 2019;Lee, 2018;Roman, Jitaru & Barbante, 2014).…”