May 17, 2005 – The results of a large prospective study in the United States indicate that, in men over 40, a greater consumption of dairy products, provided they are low in fat, is associated with a lower risk of ” have type II diabetes.
The researchers found that each additional daily serving of dairy products, up to three servings, provided a 9% reduction in the risk of developing type II diabetes. However, they found that this correlation was only true with low fat products.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston examined the dietary profile of more than 40,000 men over a 12-year period in a cohort study – the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. They first classified the participants into five groups, based on the number of daily servings of dairy products they consumed. Then, they eliminated the various factors that could have an influence on the risks of type II diabetes (age, weight, family history, etc.) in order to take into account only the effects of dairy products on the disease. Finally, they measured these effects for ten types of products: low fat milk and skim milk, whole milk, yogurt, sorbet, cream, ice cream, sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese and ricotta, and other cheeses.
According to Dr Frank Hu, one of the authors of the study, although the correlation between the consumption of dairy products and the decrease in the incidence of type II diabetes is clear, other external factors, common to consumers of dairy products , could partly explain these results. It also reminds us of the other means recognized to prevent type II diabetes: consumption of nuts and foods rich in fiber, reduction of sugar consumption and physical exercise.
According to the most recent statistics, 4.6% of Canadians aged 12 and over have diabetes I or II. Type II diabetes is estimated to affect 90% of the 1.2 million people affected.
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
According to CBS and Medical News Today.
1. Choi HK, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Rimm E, Hu FB, Dairy consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in men: a prospective study, Archives of Internal Medicine, May 9, 2005, Vol. 165, No 9, 997-1003.
2. Diabetes, by age group and sex, household population aged 12 and over, Canada, 2003: http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/82-221-XIF/2004002/tables /html/1247_03_f.htm [site consulté le 17 mai 2005].
