The association of milk products with rheumatoid arthritis: A cross-sectional study from NHANES

•Milk products are a major part of western diet, but their role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is controversial.•Based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a negative association of milk products with RA was observed.•The protective effect of the milk products on RA was stronger in several subgroups, such as Mexican Americans and highly educated participants. Milk products are a major part of the western diet, but the role of their effect in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is controversial. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between milk products and RA in the United States (US) population. In the cross-sectional study, a total of 12,813 participants aged 20years or older were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Consumption of milk products was collected by personal interview, and RA status was obtained by self-reported questionnaires. The association between milk products and RA was estimated by using the weighted logistic regression model. We found a negative association of once a day or more milk products intake with self-reported RA prevalence (odds ratio [OR]: 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53 to 0.86; P