Evidence Hub

Quantity and Quality of Dairy Product Intake and Their Relationship with Body Composition in Children and Adolescents from Mexico City

Armando Partida-Gaytán, Diana Montiel-Ojeda, Patricia Clark, D. Lopez-Gonzalez

Nutrients, 2025

2,104 participants

Abstract

Background: The association between milk-derived or dairy product intake (DPI) and the body composition (BC) of children and adolescents continues to be controversial. Objective: This study sought to evaluate the association between the quantity and quality of DPI and the BC of Mexican children and adolescents. Methods: A secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional population-based sample of 2104 children and adolescents (aged 4–18 years) recruited from schools in Mexico City was performed. To assess the association between the quantity and quality of DPI, evaluated by questionnaire, and BC, dual X-ray densitometry (DXA) and surrogate parameters of the fat mass index (FMI) and lean mass index (LMI) were used. The adequacy of the quantity and quality of DPI was classified according to age-specific recommendations and the sugar, sodium and fat contents of the products consumed. Relationships were assessed by means of lineal regressions adjusted for age, sex, physical activity, sleep time and screen hours. Results: We included a total of 1840 participants aged 4.5–18 years, 52% of whom were female. Average daily DPI was 4.0 ± 2.4 servings/day, with a predominance of milk without sugar (42.7% of DPI). The quantity and quality of DPI significantly reduced the FMI (beta = −0.1 kg/m2, 95% CI −0.17 to −0.06, p < 0.001 and beta = −0.17 kg/m2, 95% CI −0.26 to −0.07, p < 0.001). No significant relationships were seen with the LMI. Conclusions: Higher quantities of good-quality DPI are…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 2,104 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free