Table 2. Summary of included studies.
| Study reference; study type and participants | Summary of relevant outcome results |
|---|---|
| BMI | |
| Albertson et al.40 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 8552 analysed | Yoghurt eaters had lower BMI compared with non-yoghurt eaters (P<0.01). After adjusting for all covariates, yoghurt consumption was associated with a lower BMI for both males (P<0.001) and females (P<0.001) |
| Beydoun et al.41 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 14 618 participants | Yoghurt consumption was associated with reduced BMI for both genders, when analysed together and separately (P<0.05) |
| Gugger et al.42 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 2883 (dropouts not reported) | Women who consumed at least one serving of yoghurt had a significantly lower BMI compared with those consuming no yoghurt (P=0.001) |
| Joshi et al.43 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 2672 (no dropouts reported) | After adjusting for covariates, yoghurt eaters' BMI was lower compared with non-yoghurt eaters by 1.3 kg m−2 (P=0.03) and waist-to-height ratio was lower by 2% (P=0.02) |
| Murphy et al.45 Prospective cross-sectional study; 720 participants | Yoghurt consumption was not associated with BMI in any models |
| Shilsky et al.26 RCT; 76 randomised | Both yoghurt and control groups: significant decreases in BMI over 24 weeks (P<0.05), NS between groups (P-value NR) |
| Thomas et al.27 RCT; 35 recruited (29 after dropouts) | Both yoghurt and control groups: significant decrease in BMI (P=0.003), NS between groups (P=0.584) |
| Wang et al.46 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 6526 participants | Yoghurt consumers had significantly lower BMI compared with non-consumers (P<0.001) |
| Body weight | |
| Al-Naggar et al.25 RCT; 30 recruited (30 completed) | Unclear |
| Bazzarre et al.32 Cross-over trial; 30 recruited (20 analysed) | NS change for males (P=0.30) or female (P=0.059) across the study period |
| Drapeau et al.35 Retrospective population-based cohort study; 248 participants | In all models: changes in yoghurt consumption were NS related to body weight change |
| Jordan et al.31 Controlled trial; 528 randomised (268 completed) | High yoghurt eaters moved closer to an ideal (lower) weight compared to low yoghurt eaters, but regression analysis indicated no significant relationship between the frequency of yoghurt ingestion and weight loss |
| McNamara et al.33 Cross-over trial; 18 participants (no dropouts reported) | No significant weight changes (P-values NR) |
| Mozaffarian et al.36 Retrospective population-based cohort study; 120 877 participants | Increased consumption of yoghurt was correlated with decreased weight gain across the 4-year periods, when controlling for age and also when baseline BMI and all lifestyle factors were added as covariates |
| Shilsky et al.26 RCT; 76 randomised | Both groups: significant decreases in body weight over 24 weeks (P<0.05), NS between groups (P-value NR) |
| Thomas et al.27 RCT; 35 recruited (29 after dropouts) | Both groups: significant decrease in body weight (P=0.007), NS between groups (P=0.391) |
| Thompson et al.28 RCT; 56 recruited | Over 3 weeks, a small, significant increase in body weight for yoghurt (P<0.001) |
| Vergnaud et al.38 Retrospective, population-based cohort study; 2267 participants | Yoghurt consumption was associated with smaller increases in body weight over 6 years in overweight men. An opposite (positive) trend was seen in normal-weight women |
| Wang et al.39 Retrospective population-based cohort study; 3440 participants | High yoghurt consumers had >50% smaller weight gain over 12.9 years compared with low consumers (P=0.03), in a model adjusted for covariates |
| White et al.29 RCT; 45 recruited (42 completed; 35 compliant) | Nonsignificant trend for increase in weight during the study in yoghurt and CHO+PRO groups, but not CHO only |
| Zemel et al.30 RCT; 38 recruited (34 completed) | Yoghurt group lost 22% more weight compared with control (P<0.01) |
| WC | |
| Albertson et al.40 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 8552 analysed | Yoghurt eaters had significantly lower WC compared with non-yoghurt eaters (P<0.01). After adjusting for all covariates, yoghurt consumption was associated with a lower WC for both males (P<0.001) and females (P<0.001) |
| Al-Naggar et al.25 RCT; 30 recruited (30 completed) | Unclear |
| Beydoun et al.41 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 14 484 participants | Yoghurt was associated with reduced WC for both genders, when analysed together and separately (P<0.05) |
| Drapeau et al.35 Retrospective population-based cohort study; 248 participants | Significant positive effect of changes in yoghurt consumption on WC in all models, including the full model with adjustments for covariates (P=0.003) |
| Joshi et al.43 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 2672 (no dropouts reported) | After adjusting for covariates, WC of yoghurt eaters was lower compared with non-yoghurt eaters by 3.5 cm (P=0.02) |
| Murphy et al.45 Prospective cross-sectional study; 720 participants | Yoghurt consumption was inversely associated WC in the basic model (P<0.01), and remained so with adjustment for other dairy intake (P<0.05) |
| Shilsky et al.26 RCT; 76 randomised | Both groups: significant decreases in WC over 24 weeks (P<0.001), NS between groups (P-value NR) |
| Thomas et al.27 RCT; 35 recruited (29 after dropouts) | Both groups: significant decrease in WC (P=0.0001), NS between groups (0.914) |
| Vergnaud et al.38 Retrospective, population-based cohort study; 2267 participants | Yoghurt was associated with lower increases in WC in overweight men only, over 6 years |
| Wang et al.46 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 6526 participants | Yoghurt consumers had significantly smaller WC compared with non-consumers (P<0.001) |
| Wang et al.39 Retrospective population-based cohort study; 3440 participants | High consumers of yoghurt gained about 20% less WC per year compared with low yoghurt consumers (P=0.03), in a model adjusted for covariates |
| Zemel et al.30 RCT; 38 recruited (34 completed) | WC decreased in the yoghurt group compared with the control group (P<0.001) |
| Body fat | |
| Drapeau et al.35 Retrospective population-based cohort study; 248 participants | No association between low-fat yoghurt and two adiposity measures: change in percentage body fat or change in the sum of 6 skinfold thicknesses over 5.9 years |
| Joshi et al.43 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 2672 (no dropouts reported) | After adjusting for covariates, % body fat was lower than non-yoghurt eaters by 1.5% (P=0.03) |
| Murphy et al.45 Prospective cross-sectional study; 720 participants | Yoghurt consumption was significantly inversely associated with % body fat in all models. Yoghurt consumption was inversely correlated with abdominal fat (P<0.05) in the basic model, and after full adjustment for dairy intake to the model (P<0.05) |
| Shilsky et al.26 RCT; 76 randomised | Both groups: significant decreases in fat mass over 24 weeks (P<0.05), NS between group (P-value NR) |
| Thomas et al.27 RCT; 35 recruited (29 after dropouts) | Both groups: significant decrease in % body fat (P=0.0001), NS between groups (0.610) |
| White et al.29 RCT; 45 recruited (42 completed; 35 compliant) | All groups: significant decrease in % body fat (P=0.02). NS difference between groups |
| Zemel et al.30 RCT; 38 recruited (34 completed) | Yoghurt group lost 61% more fat (P<0.005) and 81% more trunk fat (P<0.01) compared with control |
| Lean body mass | |
| Thomas et al.27 RCT; 35 recruited (29 after dropouts) | Both groups: significant increase in % lean body mass (P=0.0001), NS between groups (P=0.551) |
| White et al.29 RCT; 45 recruited (42 completed; 35 compliant) | All groups: significant increase in fat-free mass (P=0.02). NS between groups (P=0.5) |
| Zemel et al.30 RCT; 38 recruited (34 completed) | Significantly more lean body mass was lost on control diet compared with the yoghurt diet (P<0.05) |
| Risk/proportion of overweight/obesity | |
| Albertson et al.40 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 8552 analysed | A lower proportion of overweight female yoghurt eaters compared with non-yoghurt eaters (P<0.001). After adjusting for all covariates, yoghurt consumption was associated with a lower percent overweight for females (P<0.001) and directionally lower percent overweight for males (NS) |
| Beydoun et al.41 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 14 618 participants | Yoghurt was negatively associated with obesity, BMI ⩾30 (P<0.05) and central obesity (P<0.05). No significant effects found in the subgroup of non-Hispanic blacks |
| Gugger et al.42 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 2883 (dropouts not reported) | More frequent yoghurt consumption was associated with a significantly lower incidence of overweight/obesity (P<0.05) |
| Lee et al.44 Retrospective cross-sectional study; 7173 (no dropouts reported) | Higher intake of yoghurt (measured in a Food Frequency Questionnaire) was associated with a lower prevalence of obesity (P=0.01), in a model adjusted for covariates. Yoghurt consumption (measured from 24-h recall data) was not associated with obesity (P=0.23) in a model adjusted for covariates |
| Martinez-Gonzalez et al.34 Prospective cohort study; 9506 recruited (8516 completed with no missing values) | High yoghurt consumption was associated with a lower risk of overweight/obesity when compared with low consumption (P-value for trend <0.001). The significance was for all yoghurt and whole fat yoghurt but not low fat |
| Pereira et al.37 Retrospective population-based cohort study; 923 participants | Odds of overweight participants developing obesity reduced (NS) with increased consumption of yoghurt, controlling for confounders |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; NR, not reported; NS, nonsignificant; RCT, randomised controlled trial; WC, waist circumference.