Keeping it low
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat. Getting enough low-fat dairy? Low-fat dairy products not only help build strong bones, but new research suggests they can protect blood pressure in women. The study looked at more than 28,000 middle-aged and older women. It found the risk of new high blood pressure was 11 percent lower for women who consumed the most low-fat dairy products. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends people consume three cups a day of fat-free or low-fat milk, or equivalent dairy products. Researcher Lu Wang of Brigham and Women’s Hospital: “Our study findings support this recommendation and we emphasize the importance of low-fat dairy products versus high-fat dairy.” (8 seconds) The study in the journal Hypertension was supported by the National Institutes of Health. Learn more at hhs.gov. HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss. Last revised: March, 24 2008 |