Effects of Milk and Milk-Product Consumption on Growth among Children and Adolescents Aged 6-18 Years: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Although studies have suggested that milk and milk-product consumption may influence growth during childhood and puberty, results are inconsistent. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the available evidence of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing whether milk and milk-product consumption could affect growth and body composition among children and adolescents aged 6-18 y. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for all RCTs published up to December 2017 that investigated milk and milk-product consumption (≥12 wk) on growth and body composition among participants (aged 6-18 y) without undernourishment or diseases. Study screening and data extraction by 2 reviewers followed established PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess the quality of the trials. Data were pooled using a random-effects model. Seventeen trials with 2844 children and adolescents were included. Milk and milk-product interventions resulted in a greater increase in body weight (0.48 kg; 95% CI: 0.19, 0.76 kg; P  =  0.001), lean mass (0.21 kg; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.41 kg; P  = 0.04), and attenuated gain in percentage body fat (-0.27%; 95% CI: -0.45%, -0.09%; P  = 0.003) compared with control groups. However, there were no significant changes in fat mass, height, or waist circumference in the intervention groups compared with the control groups (P ≥ 0.05). In subgroup analyses, the baseline weight and age, and the duration of intervention were associated with the efficacy of milk and milk-product intake on the change in lean mass, percentage body fat, and waist circumference, respectively (test for subgroup differences: P < 0.05). Children and adolescents aged 6-18 y consuming milk and milk products are more likely to achieve a lean body phenotype. This meta-analysis was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) as CRD42018086850.