Nov 18 2011 --- Low-fat dairy product and yogurt consumption are associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes among post-menopausal women, according to a recent prospective study published in the November issue of The Journal of Nutrition.

“Type 2 diabetes is a debilitating and costly disease that could, if not reined in over the next 10 to 20 years, break the health care bank,” said Gregory Miller, Ph.D., president of the Dairy Research Institute and executive vice president of the National Dairy Council. “This research contributes to a growing body of work that indicates adequate amounts of dairy may play an important role in decreasing the risk of this disease.”

Approximately 350 million people worldwide are affected by diabetes. This research, in addition to other studies completed over the last few years, shows that one of the reasons dairy may play a role in potentially reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes is that it can improve glucose tolerance. The study titled “A diet high in low-fat dairy products lowers diabetes risk in post-menopausal women” was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Researchers utilized data collected from 82,046 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative observational study, an ongoing prospective study of post-menopausal women. After reviewing the participants’ food frequency questionnaire and adjusting for confounding variables, the researchers identified the following key findings:

•    Low-fat dairy consumption was inversely associated with development of type 2 diabetes.
•    Consumption of full-fat dairy products was not associated with incidence of type 2 diabetes.
•    Yogurt consumption, regardless of fat level, was consistently associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.
•    When compared with consuming 3 servings a day as recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, intakes less than that amount were associated with increased diabetes risk.

This study adds to a growing body of research, including research reviewed by the Dairy Research Institute, finding that adequate dairy intake improved key components of metabolic syndrome, like high blood pressure and insulin resistance, which also affects the risk of type 2 diabetes. Exploring dairy’s potential benefit on metabolic health and its capability to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes is a key priority area for the Dairy Research Institute. The Dairy Research Institute was established by America’s dairy farmers with a commitment to product, nutrition and sustainability research and is primarily funded by the dairy checkoff program.

Additional research is under way to better understand the potential benefits of dairy products and dairy ingredients on obesity-related chronic diseases and to help reduce the health-related and economic burdens characteristic of these conditions.