Systematic reviewindependent cross-checkfull text checked I-DRY-122 standard review

Nordic guideline review: dairy fits a healthy diet

Milk and dairy products - a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023.

Overview

Bjorklund Holven K et al.. Food Nutr Res 2024 · PMID 39781268 · DOI 10.29219/fnr.v68.10486

No increased heart disease risk; lower bowel cancer; limited prostate signal.

Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate

Study explained simply

What did the researchers want to find out?: Summarise dairy evidence for Nordic guidelines.
How was the study done?: Scoping review.
How many people, animals or samples were studied?: Many systematic reviews.
What was actually found?: Dairy not harmful for heart; helpful for calcium.
How large was the observed effect?: Narrative.
What do the results mean in everyday life?: Dairy can be part of healthy eating.
What are the study's limitations?: Not graded.
What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?: Contradicts general harm.
Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?: Applicable.
What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?: Cannot rank individual dairy types precisely.

Authors: Bjorklund Holven K et al.
Journal: Food Nutr Res
Year: 2024
Identifier: PMID 39781268 DOI 10.29219/fnr.v68.10486
Verification: verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26
Retracted: no
Corrections: none
Extent checked: full text
Conflicts of interest and funding: No industry funding; small reimbursement from the Norwegian Directorate of Health.

What is the evidence on milk and dairy for health outcomes as a basis for NNR 2023?

Study design: Systematic review – Scoping review of qualified systematic reviews (WCRF, US DGAC 2020) and systematic reviews 2011-2022 (555 records screened)
Population: Adults and children
Country: Nordic/Baltic (evidence international)
Period: 2011-2022
Sample size: 159 records evaluated
Inclusion and exclusion criteria: Systematic reviews

Results: Systematic reviews suggest milk/dairy not associated with increased CVD or dyslipidaemia; inverse associations with some cardiometabolic factors, especially fermented dairy; reduced colorectal cancer (WCRF strong evidence); limited evidence for prostate cancer increase; MR: no or limited evidence for milk and prostate cancer, no support for effects on hip fracture or BMD in adults; 'the overall evidence does not support a link between dairy consumption and fractures'; some evidence from intervention studies that milk in childhood/adolescence speeds linear growth and benefits bone. Milk and dairy are important sources of calcium and iodine.
Absolute risks: not reported
Authors' conclusion: Milk or dairy products are important dietary sources of calcium and iodine and are fully compatible with a healthy dietary pattern.

Narrative.

An independent guideline evidence review finds dairy compatible with a healthy diet and not harmful for CVD, with fermented dairy favourable.

Limited prostate signal acknowledged.

Nordic; Egyptian diets differ but biology is shared.

Strong contextual evidence against general harm.

Multidimensional assessment
Multidimensional assessment
Authenticity of the source	verified
Methodological quality	moderate
Risk of bias	low
Precision of results	not applicable
Directness	direct
Reproducibility	unknown
Consistency with the overall evidence	consistent
Regional transferability	moderate
Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive)	not applicable

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