New research suggests that the daily consumption of yogurt may not improve health.

Spanish researchers found no link between the regular intake of yogurt and the improvement of physical and mental parameters.

In the past, various researchers have stated the benefits of eating yogurt on a regular basis although its effectiveness has never been proven. Until now, few studies have specifically examined the effect of consuming this product on health.

For the study, researchers analyzed the relationship between the consumption of yogurt and mental improvement over a three-and-a-half-year period in a sample of more than 4,000 Spanish adults.

"The regular consumption of yogurt was not linked to health-related quality of life," Esther López-García, lead author of the study, said in a statement. "For future research more specific instruments must be used which may increase the probability of finding a potential benefit of this food".

Based on their findings, researchers also found no link for individuals with no diagnosed illnesses, who had never smoked and who followed a Mediterranean diet. Researchers pointed this out because it was thought that people without any risk factors could obscure the relationship under review.

"In comparison with people that did not eat yogurt, those who ate this dairy product regularly did not display any significant improvement in their score on the physical component of quality of life, and although there was a slight improvement mentally, this was not statistically significant," López-García said.

The findings are detailed in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.