What to Know About Dairy and Cardiovascular Disease

CVD is the leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for nearly 23 percent of all deaths in 2018. CVD includes several diseases of the heart and blood vessels that can impair heart function. An extensive body of research indicates that consuming dairy foods is associated with multiple health benefits, and several meta-analyses and prospective studies published since 2015 conclude that consuming dairy foods is not linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) or coronary artery disease (CAD) and is associated with reduced risk for stroke.

Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt are foundational foods in healthy dietary patterns. The dairy group contributes important shortfall nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D and potassium to the American diet. Low-fat and fat-free dairy foods are part of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and American Heart Association (AHA) recommended healthy dietary patterns for Americans 2 years and older.

This research provides further support for the importance of including low-fat or fat-free dairy foods in healthy dietary patterns.

You can download our full report, “Science Summary: Dairy and Cardiovascular Disease,” which shows further support for consuming low-fat or fat-free dairy foods.

For further reading:

Ask Dr. Dairy: Does Saturated Fat Increase the Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease?

New Study: Yogurt May Help Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Adults With High Blood Pressure