Low-fat dairy products may reduce older womens risk of developing type-2 diabetes. A new study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, reports that consumption of low-fat dairy products, particularly yogurt, was associated with a lower risk of diabetes.
Previous research has suggested that low-fat dairy products might contribute to a lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes. But Karen L. Margolis, MD, MPH, of HealthPartners Research Foundation, and colleagues noted, No study to our knowledge has focused on an ethnically diverse group of postmenopausal women, a population with a high risk of this disease.
Dr. Margolis and colleagues looked at data on 82,076 older women in the ongoing Womens Health Initiative Observational Study. The women were initially free of diabetes; during the follow-up period, 3,946 developed the condition.
Food-frequency questionnaires were used to gauge participants dairy consumption at the studys start and at the three-year point. Average consumption of all dairy products was 1.5 servings a day, with low-fat dairy accounting for 0.8 servings. Yogurt consumption in the study group was low, averaging just a half-serving a week, and 38% of the women said they rarely or never ate yogurt.
The association between low-fat dairy intake and reduced risk of developing diabetes was particularly apparent among obese women. Overall, high yogurt consumption in particular was associated with a significant decrease in diabetes risk. But high-fat dairy products were not linked to lower diabetes risk.
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Anastassios G. Pittas, MD, of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Tufts Medical Center Researchers, cautions that this was an observational study and that participants average dairy consumption was low. He adds, Based on this study, I would not say that persons at risk for diabetes need more than the USDA recommended three daily servings.
TO LEARN MORE: Journal of Nutrition, November 2011; abstract at jn.nutrition.org/content/141/11/1969.