Dairy Ads Pose Risk to Those with High Blood Pressure

WASHINGTON, DC-The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is asking the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to stop the dairy industry from advertising that low-fat dairy products are good for those suffering form high blood pressure.

The advertisement is running in medical journals and is unsupported by scientific studies. It may be in violation of FTC rules. The ad claims "Dairy Makes the Difference in DASH." This is a reference to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension multicenter funded by the federal National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. However, the DASH study did not conclude that dairy product consumption is responsible for reducing blood pressure.

Hypertension, also known as the "silent killer" affects 50 million American adults and is prevalent among African Americans and the elderly.