Dairy products can reduce diabetes Type-2 risk

Hyderabad:  A recent study has linked consumption of high-fat dairy products to reduced risk of Type-2 diabetes. The findings of the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in April 2015, are in line with previous studies that indicated a link between high consumption of dairy products and a reduced risk of Type-2 diabetes.

The researcher from the Lund University in Sweden Ulrika Ericson stated in the study, “Those who ate the most high-fat dairy products had 23 per cent lower risk of developing Type-2 diabetes than those who ate the least. High meat consumption was linked to an increased risk of Type-2 diabetes, regardless of the fat content of the meat.”

The researchers studied the eating habits of 27,000 individuals aged between 45 and 74. The participants took part in the Malmo Diet and Cancer study in the early 1990s, in which they provided details of their eating habits. Twenty years on, over 10 per cent, that is, 2,860 people had developed Type-2 diabetes. The aim of the study has been to clarify the significance of fat in food for the risk of developing Type-2 diabetes. Instead of focusing on the total intake of saturated fat, the researchers looked at different sources of saturated fat.

With Hyderabad emerging as the diabetic capital in the country, doctors in the city are encouraging people to eat more



dairy products that can help prevent diabetes. A recent census revealed by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) stated that 16.6 per cent of people from city suffer from diabetes, which is the highest in the country, followed by Chennai 13.5 per cent and Bangalore 12.4 per cent.

Shedding more light on the subject, city-based general physician Ravi Shankar said, “It will be highly beneficial for people suffering with diabetes to consume more dairy products depending on their condition. These products contain saturated fat, but certain saturated fatty acids are particularly common in dairy products. This difference could be one of the reasons why most studies show that those who eat meat are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas those who eat lot of dairy products appear to have a lower risk.”

Another city-based general physician Rohit T said, “People who are obese and have hypertension, decreased amounts of good cholesterol (HDL), impaired glucose metabolism and high blood triglyceride have what doctors call IRS. This combination of problems now affects 25 per cent of the population and interferes with the body’s ability to control blood sugar. The end result is often diabetes, which affects 5 per cent of the population. Those who consumed low level of milk products tripled their risk of developing IRS.”