Evidence suggests that dairy food consumption reduces the risk of weight gain. The inverse association between dairy foods and body weight is interesting and has been extensively reviewed. The reason for the association is not fully understood, however, there is evidence to suggest that it is a cause and effect relationship. For example, studies investigating the effect of yoghurt on bone mass have reported weight loss effects in the subjects consuming yoghurt compared to controls not consuming yoghurt. Further, administration of high dairy diets reduces the body weights of animals. One suggestion is that the calcium content of dairy is responsible in part for these weight loss effect. Evidence suggest that calcium may have a number of ways that it can prevent weight gain. One line of evidence suggest that calcium can interact with fatty acids in the gut causing the formation of calcium soaps which are not absorbed. Another line of evidence suggests that calcium is an appetite suppressor.
The appetite suppressing effects of calcium have been reported a number of times. For example, in one study1, researchers investigated the effects of a meal containing high amounts of calcium (1170 mg) and then observed the energy intake of the subjects at subsequent eating events. Energy intake was significantly lower at the test meal in the calcium group (3699 kcal) compared to the control group (4126 kcal). Addition of protein and calcium to the test meal reduced the energy intake further (3419 kcal), highlighting the possible appetite suppressive effects of protein. In the subsequent eating events, those consuming calcium and protein did compensate for the lower initial intake by consuming more energy. For the protein group this compensation matched exactly the reduced energy intake at the test meal, but for calcium there was overcompensation such that energy intake actually increased. These result demonstrate further the possible appetite suppression effects of calcium suggesting possible anti-obesogenic effects.
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