Yogurt consumption is associated with a better lifestyle in Brazilian population

Abstract

Background: The importance of dairy products is recognized for their health benefits. However, additional investigation is required to understand the characteristics of the lifestyle of people who incorporate yogurt into their eating routine. Then, the aim of this study was to compare the lifestyle of yogurt consumers and non-consumers. Methods: A total of 2610 individuals between the ages of 18 and 59 years were recruited and selected for the study, having as the primary criterion the report of frequency of yogurt consumption. Two study groups were formed: consumers (frequency of yogurt consumption ≥ four times a week during the last year) and non-consumers (consumption frequency of less than once a week), paired for age, sex, and socioeconomic class. A structured questionnaire was applied to obtain the data regarding anthropometric characteristics (weight, height, and waist circumference), lifestyle (food consumption, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption), socioeconomic information (relationship status, level of education, and work) and presence of morbidities. Based on the quantity of consumption in grams/day of yogurt and milk, cheeses, and fruit smoothies, four other analysis groups were formed: LOW-Y/LOW-D (low consumption of yogurt and other dairy products); LOW-Y/HIGH-D (low consumption of yogurt and high consumption of other dairy products); HIGH Y/LOW-D (high consumption of yogurt and low consumption of other dairy products); and HIGH-Y/HIGH-D (high consumption of yogurt and other dairy products). Chi-squared and Student's t tests were used to assess the relationships of these factors. Results: The yogurt consumers had a higher educational level (≥8 years: 83.8% vs. 79.9%), a higher frequency of individuals working and/or currently studying (67.7% vs. 65.5%), were more physically active at leisure time (17.2% vs. 14.3%), had reduced alcohol intake (3.6 g/day vs. 6.4 g/day) and a lower frequency of smoking (21.7% vs.

Snacking pattern of college students in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

“…Another healthy snack food that was associated with the level of physical activity among students was intake of the dairy products. A cross-sectional study conducted on 2610 individuals aged 18 to 59 years found that yogurt consumers were more physically active during leisure time [ 46 ]. Similarly, a study conducted on children and adolescents showed that higher levels of physical activity were associated with higher consumption of milk and dairy products in both boys and girls [ 47 ].…”

Breakfast: A Crucial Meal for Adolescents’ Cognitive Performance According to Their Nutritional Status. The Cogni-Action Project

“…On the other side, few children and adolescents include dairy products in their breakfast due to socio-economic and educational factors [ 61 , 62 ]. For instance, a study in Spanish schoolchildren (9–13 years-old) found that 32% of girls and 17% of boys had a dairy product (e.g., milk, yoghurt) for breakfast [ 63 ].…”

Postprandial Effect of Yogurt Enriched with Anthocyanins from Riceberry Rice on Glycemic Response and Antioxidant Capacity in Healthy Adults

“…Yogurt has received considerable attention as a potential approach to reduce the risks of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases [ 5 , 6 ]. Especially, several studies have reported the successful fortification of yogurt with bioactive compounds from edible plants such as green tea, black tea, white tea [ 21 ], chamomile [ 22 ], strawberry pulp [ 23 ], and aronia juice [ 10 ].…”

“…Especially, probiotic bacteria in yogurt have beneficial effects on host’s health by conferring protection against pathogenic bacteria and the prevention of gastrointestinal disorder such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), acute infectious diarrhea, or food intolerance [ 3 , 4 ]. In long-term intervention studies, the consumption of yogurt has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases [ 5 , 6 ]. Interestingly, an intake of probiotic yogurt markedly improved glycemic control and increased antioxidant status in patient with type 2 diabetes [ 7 ].…”