Introduction: The purpose of this epidemiological study is to analyze the attitudes and knowledge about the health effects of the consumption of milk and dairy products among Bulgarian citizens.
Materials and Methods: An online survey was conducted among Bulgarian adult citizens. A questionnaire including questions on the preference and frequency of consumption of milk and dairy products and those exploring respondents' knowledge of the health effects of this food group was attached. The frequency of consumption was compared with the National Dietary Guidelines. The data were processed with Jamovi statistical software package.
Results: The survey was conducted among 489 Bulgarian citizens with a mean age of 41.5 (± 11.8) years. A consumption of animal milk was found among 69.1% of the respondents. Those who did not consume milk of animal origin were 6.1%. The analysis of the results shows that according to 13.7% of the study participants, milk is a harmful food.
Conclusion: Skepticism regarding the consumption of milk and dairy products is found among the study participants. The scientific literature shows that appropriate consumption of milk and dairy products can be beneficial for all ages, except for specific medical conditions such as lactose intolerance or milk protein allergy.
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