Dairy foods are a probable cause of premature death
What is covered in this review: Dairy foods are widely recommended to promote health but have been associated with an increased risk of premature death when substituted for healthful plant-based alternatives. Meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies found that substituting whole grains, legumes, and nuts with a 200-245 g/day serving of dairy foods, including yogurt, was associated with between a 12% and 28% increased risk of all-cause mortality. A meta-analysis of Mendelian randomization studies involving 119,787 participants presented here found that a genetically predicted 1% increment in energy from total dairy was causally associated with an 8% increased risk of all-cause mortality compared to other typically consumed foods (Figure 1). Genetically predicted dairy intake was causally associated with a 44% increased risk of all-cause mortality in a subgroup analysis in which dairy foods likely predominantly displaced healthful plant foods. A meta-analysis of prospective cohort stu...