Higher yogurt intake is associated with lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals: Cross-sectional findings from the Maine-Syracuse longitudinal study

Associations between fermented dairy products and blood pressure are unclear. The current study therefore examined the association between yogurt and blood pressure in hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals. Cross-sectional analyses were undertaken on 915 community-dwelling adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Habitual yogurt consumption was measured using a food frequency questionnaire. The primary outcomes were systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and pulse pressure. Secondary outcomes included BMI (kg m(-2)), total cholesterol (mg dL(-1)), glucose (mg dL(-1)), HDL (mg dL(-1)), LDL (mg dL(-1)), triglycerides (mg dL(-1)), and plasma homocysteine (mu mol L-1). Multivariable regression analyses revealed significant inverse associations between yogurt and both SBP (p < 0.05) and MAP (p < 0.05) in hypertensive (n = 564) but not non-hypertensive participants (n = 351). Future observational and intervention studies should continue to focus on at-risk individuals to examine the potential benefits of yogurt. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.