June 23, 2025, 12:55 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
As women age and experience hormonal changes, their bone density decreases. It’s crucial for them to take steps to strengthen their bones. A recent study now provides remarkable insights into the positive effects of a food item that had previously faced criticism regarding bone health.
The discussion is about good old milk—often explicitly referred to as cow’s milk to distinguish it from the growing number of alternatives. In recent years, it has increasingly come under scrutiny. Studies have shown, for example, that its consumption may increase the risk of prostate cancer in men.1 Additionally, it is debated that it could increase susceptibility to various diseases in both genders. In contrast, the results of a new study show benefits from the consumption of liquid dairy products, especially for women.2 Specifically, for their bones.
Overview
Study Examined Link Between Dairy and Risk of Fractured Bones
The basis of the study was the increasing threat to global health from fractures, or broken bones, the authors write in the introduction. Fracture rates are continuously rising worldwide—a consequence of the aging population. This is not without problems: Broken bones not only cause pain but also limit those affected in many ways. Due to the loss of their independence, their quality of life is also reduced. “Therefore, considerable preventive efforts are being made to prevent fractures,” the researchers write. The study aimed to show whether regular consumption of dairy products is associated with a lower risk of fractures in aging women.
Study Procedure
The study’s data collection period began in 1989. The researchers followed about 14,220 Finnish women over 30 years. These women were, on average, 52.3 years old at the start of the study. Every five years, they received questionnaires about their dietary habits. The focus was on the daily consumption of liquid dairy products, such as milk, sour milk, or yogurt. These amounts were reported in deciliters. Additionally, various lifestyle factors were surveyed, such as the participants’ BMI, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and any intake of vitamin D or calcium supplements. Both micronutrients are considered beneficial for bone density.
The participants were also asked to report any fractures, with the researchers cross-referencing this information with the women’s medical records. Pathological fractures—those resulting from diagnosed pre-existing conditions like osteoporosis—and high-energy fractures, meaning broken bones due to sudden trauma (e.g., a car accident), were excluded from the evaluation. This prevented distortion of the results. Ultimately, the focus was on bone fragility and the potential bone-protective effect of dairy products.
The researchers used so-called time-dependent Cox proportional hazard models. This allowed them to calculate how long the participants remained free of fractures—for example, until the end of the study or until their death. Using the models, they estimated the hazard ratios (HR, roughly translated as “relative risk”) for hip fractures, osteoporotic fractures, and other types of bone fractures. They also considered time-dependent variables, or influencing factors that can change over time.
More Dairy Products Consumed: Stronger Bones
The analysis showed that regular consumption of certain dairy products is associated with stronger bones and a lower risk of fractures, especially among postmenopausal women. Those participants who consumed more liquid dairy products daily had a significantly lower risk of breaking bones during the study. For each additional glass of milk (about 200 milliliters) or comparable liquid dairy product, the risk of fractures of any kind decreased by about 2 percent. Interestingly, the risk of osteoporotic fractures decreased by a further 2 percent with the intake of liquid dairy products.
Cheese is also a dairy product, but not a liquid one. What was its effect on bones? Interestingly, cheese consumption showed no impact on general fractures or osteoporotic bone fractures—but it did affect the risk of hip fractures. Those women who regularly consumed three to four slices of cheese per day had about a 9 percent lower risk of hip fracture compared to those who did not eat cheese or ate very little. Although hip fractures accounted for only a small portion of the documented bone fractures, the researchers acknowledge that this may have limited the statistical significance of this aspect of the analysis. Nevertheless, the data suggest that cheese may offer specific protection against hip fractures.
Significance of Results and Limitations
“Long-term consumption of liquid dairy products can reduce the risk of fractures,” the researchers conclude. Their findings suggest promoting the consumption of milk, sour milk, yogurt, and similar products—for example, through public health initiatives. This could not only reduce the risk of age-related bone fractures, they write, but also significantly lower costs and burdens on public health systems.
However, the study has several limitations. For one, the information on the women’s dietary habits came from self-reports. This makes them susceptible to biases and unconscious misjudgments—not least regarding portion sizes or the exact frequency of consumption. Keep in mind that there were five-year intervals between the submission of questionnaires. In general, statistical models are always subject to measurement inaccuracies. Another potential criticism of the study: It included only women of the same age group from Finland, making the results less applicable to men and only partially applicable to younger women or those from other regions. Moreover, climatic and region-specific dietary characteristics may have influenced the results.
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Do Not Overinterpret Observed Connections
“The more dairy products, the better for the bones”—this is not how you should interpret the results. After all, doubts remain about the safety of cow’s milk, cheese, and similar products. And just as this new study shows that different dairy products do not have the same (positive) effects on bones, previous studies have reached different conclusions regarding the individual representatives of this food category.3
In studies, positive effects on cardiovascular health and weight have been observed, which argue against categorically condemning dairy products as harmful. However, this does not mean that one should overconsume them. Even with beneficial foods and habits, moderation is key.