Higher intake of dairy products, including milk, yogurt and cheese, may improve bone mineral density and strengthen the spine, according to scientists, including one of Indian origin.
Dairy intake seems to be most beneficial for men over age 50, and continues to have positive associations irrespective of serum vitamin D status, the researchers said.
It is linked with higher volumetric bone mineral density and vertebral strength at the spine in men, they said.
"This study related dairy intake with quantitative computed tomography (QCT) - derived bone measures, which are unique because they provide information on bone geometry and compartment-specific bone density that are key determinants of bone strength," said Shivani Sahni from Institute for Ageing Research in the US.
For the study, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Density, the researchers examined 1,522 men and 1,104 women aged 32-81 years.
They examined QCT measures of bone to determine associations with dairy intake.
"The results of this study highlight the beneficial role of a combination of dairy foods upon bone health and these beneficial associations remain irrespective of serum vitamin D status in a person," Sahni said.