Animal Protein But Not Dairy Or Calcium Intake Is Directly Associated With Body Weight: Results From The Premier Trial

Previous research suggest that increased intake of protein, calcium and dairy may reduce weight. Using data from the PREMIER, an 18 month lifestyle intervention trial, we examined these relationships. A total of 810 participants, aged 50±8.9 yrs, with 62% females, 34% African Americans, and a mean BMI of 33.1±5.8 were enrolled. Dietary recalls were collected at baseline, 6m and 18m. Neither dairy nor calcium was associated with weight at any time point. Protein was consistently and positively associated with weight (model 1&2) and this association was mainly contributed by animal protein (model 3). The higher the animal protein intake, the higher the weight. Table 1. Multivariate regression of weight on dietary variables cross-sectionally.