A recent scientific study concluded that consuming large amounts of milk may not reduce the risk of bone fractures. The study, conducted in Sweden and published in the British Medical Journal, showed that women who consumed more than three cups of milk per day were actually more likely to have bone fractures than those who ate less.
However, the researchers said this should not be interpreted as evidence that drinking large amounts of milk causes bone fractures.
And they said other factors such as alcohol intake and weight may play a role.
According to the BBC, doctors have recommended eating dairy as a good source of calcium for many years, but studies have reached conflicting results on whether milk strengthens bones and reduces the risk of fractures. A team of scientists in Sweden examined the nutritional habits of 61,400 women during the period between 1987 and 1990 and 45,300 men in 1997, and then monitored their health for years after that.
The team asked participants to fill out questionnaires about how often common foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese were consumed over a period of one year.
The researchers tracked the number of people who experienced fractures and the number of participants who died over the following years.
During the women''s follow-up period, which lasted for 20 years, during which the women were monitored, it was found that those who ate more than three cups of milk per day were more likely to have fractures than those who ate less.
