Long-term cheese consumption does not increase risk of all-cause mortality

Objectives:
The association between cheese consumption and risk for major health endpoints has been investigated in many epidemiologic studies, but findings are inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis (review article) has been conducted.

What is the long-term association of cheese consumption with all-cause mortality?

Study design:
This review article included 9 prospective cohort studies involving 21,365 deaths among 177,655 participants during mean lengths of follow-up of 5 to 15 years.

There was no evidence of publication bias with Egger’s (p = 0.37) or with Begg’s test (p = 0.59).

Results and conclusions:
The investigators found no association between all-cause mortality and cheese consumption when comparing the highest versus the lowest cheese consumption [summary relative risk = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.97-1.06, I2 = 0%]. No association because relative risk of 1 was found in the 95% CI of 0.97 to 1.06. Relative risk of 1 means no risk/association.

The investigators found evidence of a duration-specific difference in the association [p = 0.09], with a marginally significant increased risk of all-cause mortality associated high cheese consumption among two studies with a duration of 10 years [RR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.00-2.53), but not among those with a duration of ≥10 years [RR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.96-1.06].

The investigators found the overall result remained stable in a sensitivity analysis in which one study at a time was omitted and the rest were analyzed, with a range from 1.00 [95% CI = 0.94-1.06] to 1.02 [95% CI = 0.97-1.08].

The investigators found the summary RR for a 43 g/day increase in the cheese consumption was 1.03 [95% CI = 0.99-1.07, I2 = 0%].

The investigators found no evidence for a nonlinear association between cheese consumption and risk of all-cause mortality [p for nonlinearity = 0.082].

The investigators concluded that long-term cheese consumption is not associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Future large prospective studies that distinguish between high-fat and low-fat cheese are warranted.

Original title:
Cheese Consumption and Risk of All-Cause Mortality: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies by Xing T, Guo-Chong C, [...], Li-Qiang Q.

Link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5295107/

Additional information of El Mondo:
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