Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #301113
Title: Yogurt: role in healthy and active aging

Author
item EL-ABBADI, NAGLAA - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item DAO, MARIA CARLOTA - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item MEYDANI, SIMIN - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/12/2014
Publication Date: 5/20/2014
Citation: El-Abbadi, N.H., Dao, M., Meydani, S.N. 2014. Yogurt: role in healthy and active aging. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 99 (supp):1263S-1270S.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Yogurt consumption has been associated with health benefits in different populations. Limited information, however, is available on nutritional and health attributes of yogurt in older adults. Yogurt is abundant in calcium, zinc, B vitamins, and probiotics, it is a good source of protein, and it may be supplemented with vitamin D and additional probiotics associated with positive health outcomes. Aging is accompanied by a wide array of nutritional deficiencies and health complications associated with under- and over-nutrition, including musculoskeletal impairment, immunosenescence, cardiometabolic diseases, and cognitive impairment. Increasing yogurt consumption in the older adults may, therefore, help address these nutritional and health issues. Furthermore, yogurt’s accessibility and convenience of consumption by the older population add to its benefits and make it a feasible approach to enhance older adults’ nutritional status. A limited number of studies have specifically addressed the impact of yogurt on nutritional and health status of older adults, and the majority are observational. However, those reported thus far and reviewed here are encouraging and suggest that yogurt could play a role in improving the nutritional status and health of older adults. In addition, these reports support further investigation into the role of yogurt in healthy and active aging.