Milk consumption, indicators of growth and body mass index in the Uzbek and Tajik population in Uzbekistan.

Sharaf Kasimov[1], Margus Lember[2], Rustam Mukhamedov[3]
Page no. 111-118

Background: It is known that lactose intolerance is prevalent in the Turkish and Indo-Iranian
peoples of Central Asia, and prevalence is related to the presence or absence of the genotype C/T13910.
Some studies have reported changes of weight occurring from the use of milk products
according to the types of dairy products used. Our aim was to examine indicators of growth and
body mass index (BMI) in the Uzbek and Tajik population in two regions of Uzbekistan in relation
to milk consumption, the presence of the genotype C/T-13910, and self-reported evidence of lactose
intolerance, in order to see to what degree growth and BMI is affected by milk consumption in these
two distinct but comparable populations. Uzbek and Tajik families share the same social, economic
and culinary habits, so these should not be confounding factors for comparing the growth and
development of children in these two population groups.
Results: Single nucleotide polymorphisms were examined in 100 Uzbeks and 100 Tajiks for the
presence of the genotype C/T-13910 and for milk intolerance. Anthropometrical measurements
were made of growth and body mass index (BMI) of the target Uzbek and Tajik population and
compared according to the presence of genotypes for lactase persistence or lactase nonpersistence.
The results show that there is no statistically significant difference (95% CI, p>0.05).
Comparison of growth and BMI of a further 187 Uzbeks and 137 Tajiks according to their
consumption of milk likewise shows no statistical significance (95% CI, p>0.05). A small
percentage in each group, however, self-reported dyspepsia symptoms after milk consumption.
Conclusion: The study demonstrates that comparable groups of the Uzbek and Tajik populations
in Uzbekistan do not differ in the prevalence of genotype C/T-13910. Among Uzbeks and Tajiks the
high prevalence of lactose intolerance does not appear to interfere with the use of milk and dairy
products in small amounts, and this study therefore suggests that milk consumption, as practiced in
these populations, is not the key factor affecting growth indicators and BMI of Uzbeks and Tajiks.
Keywords: Hypolactasia, Anthropometry, Uzbek-Tajik Population