Higher consumption fermented dairy products reduces risk of type-2 diabetes by 28 percent.
The increasing prevalence of diabetes is a cause of concern worldwide. Many breakthroughs in understanding and preventing this chronic disease have taken place but none really significant or foolproof. Recent research published online in Diabetologia shows that higher consumption of yogurt reduces the chance of getting new-onset type-2 diabetes by almost 28 percent as compared to absolutely no consumption.
No one will doubt that dairy products are important sources of high-quality proteins, vitamins (A, D, B12, phylloquinones & menaquinones and riboflavin) and minerals (calcium, magnesium and potassium). However, dairy products are also a source of saturated fats, the intake of which is discouraged in current dietary guidelines. It is often recommended that saturated fat intake be replaced with unsaturated fat intake.
In this new study, researchers at the School of Medicine, University of Cambridge found that dairy product intake was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in three meta-analyses of large prospective epidemiological studies. About 25,000 men and women living in Norfolk, UK were examined. A daily record of all their food and drink consumption over a week showed new-onset type-2 diabetes in 753 people over 11 years. The researchers not only examined the risk of diabetes in relation to consumption of total dairy products, but also distinguished between different dairy products.
Surprisingly, factors like high-fat dairy, total dairy, obesity, lifestyles and eating habits were not associated with diabetes risk, whereas higher consumption of low-fat fermented dairy products such as yoghurt, all yoghurt varieties and some low-fat cheeses did reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes. The researchers suggest as a mechanical explanation that fermented dairy products exert beneficial effects against diabetes through probiotic bacteria and a special form of vitamin K (part of the menaquinone family) associated with fermentation.
These findings suggest that the consumption of these specific dairy types are beneficial for the prevention of diabetes.
References:
O’Connor LM, Lentjes MA, Luben RN, Khaw KT, Wareham NJ, & Forouhi NG (2014). Dietary dairy product intake and incident type 2 diabetes: a prospective study using dietary data from a 7-day food diary. Diabetologia PMID: 24510203
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