Dairy Intake in Association with Asthma Symptoms Among a Large Sample of Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Dairy products may be linked to an increased risk of asthma, although there is little scientific evidence to back this up. The goal of this study was to look at the link between dairy consumption and asthma symptoms. This cross-sectional study was conducted on children and adolescents aged 6-8 and 13-14 living in central Iran. Dietary food consumption was assessed using a multiple-choice questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios for the association between milk, other dairy products, and total dairy consumption with asthma symptoms. In total, 7667 participants (3414 boys and 4253 girls) were included in the current study. Milk intake and total dairy consumption were not associated with the likelihood of wheezing, asthma confirmed by a doctor, current asthma, and asthma medication use. However, the analysis revealed that those who eat other dairy products on most days or every day might have a reduced likelihood of wheezing compared to those who do not eat or rarely eat other dairy products (OR: 0.65, 95% CI 0.44-0.94, Pterend=0.18). After adjusting for age, sex (OR: 0.58, 95% CI 0.39-0.84, Pterend=0.03), and additionally adjusting for watching TV and computer use (OR=0.58, 0.40-0.85, Pterend=0.02), and BMI (OR: 0.58, 95% CI 0.40-0.85, Pterend=0.02), individuals in the highest category of other dairy consumption had significantly lower odds of wheezing compared with those with the lowest intakes. In conclusion, the consumption of dairy products other than milk, including cheese and yogurt, might reduce the likelihood of wheezing in children and adolescents.