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WHAT'S NEW
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The scoop on dairy
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Do dairy's health benefits outweigh the risks? Find out about the links between dairy consumption and diseases such as cancer and osteoporosis.
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By Rosie Schwartz
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To drink or not to drink. That is the question for many women as they contemplate reaching for that glass of milk. It's been a fiercely debated matter for decades as anti-dairy groups bring various health issues to the table.
Dairy and cancer: Is there a link?
A study published in the January issue of International Journal of Cancer linking milk consumption to an increased risk of ovarian cancer seemed to add to the weight of the anti-dairy argument. But a closer look at the benefits and risks of banishing these foods from the menu shows that the debate is not clear cut. So make sure you look closely at the research and weigh the risks and benefits the next time you hear of a worrisome study that suddenly makes you reconsider your food intake.
In the dairy-ovarian cancer study in Stockholm, researchers reviewed 21 studies of how the intake of various dairy products relates to ovarian cancer. They pointed to a possible connection between the sugar lactose, which is found predominately in milk and yogurt, as a possible culprit in increasing your cancer risk. Consuming other dairy products, such as cheese (because most contain only small amounts of lactose) did not appear to have as strong a connection.
But not all the studies in the review were created equal. Some followed the subjects' actual eating routines, while others may have been less accurate because they asked for a recollection of past eating habits. Even though most of the studies pointed to no connection between dairy products and ovarian cancer, the researchers concluded that there was a possible small increased risk from consuming milk.
Risks vs. benefits
This is where the issue of risks versus benefits comes in. Dairy products are certainly no slouches when it comes to nutritional benefits. They offer a defence against a variety of ills, including colon cancer, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.
A study of more than 5,000 French women, also in the International Journal of Cancer, showed that dairy products, calcium and vitamin D may slow or prevent the development of colon cancer. Other studies have also pointed to this protective action.
It makes sense for most women to consume dairy products to help prevent colon cancer, rather than avoiding them out of fear of ovarian cancer. Just look at the numbers. According to the National Cancer Institute of Canada, in 2001 there were 7,900 women diagnosed with colon cancer and 3,000 deaths resulting from the disease. In contrast, there were 2,300 new cases of ovarian cancer in Canada in the same year.
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