Study: Dairy fat could lower risk of diabetes

BATON ROUGE — A recent study published in the journal Circulation suggests that dairy fats may guard against Type 2 diabetes. While the study does not show cause and effect, there are several reasons why full-fat milk, yogurt and cheeses could delay the development of diabetes, said LSU AgCenter registered dietitian Sandra May.
“It could be the full-fat dairy products keep you fuller longer, so you reduce the total number of calories you take in throughout the day,” May said.
The study followed 3,000 adults for two decades and showed that those who had higher dairy fatty acid concentrations in their blood had a lower incident of diabetes.
Other studies have considered a connection between vitamins and minerals in dairy products and a reduced risk of diabetes or that whey protein could have some effect on diabetes development, but May said results were inconsistent.
This study didn’t look at children, but previous research did show that children who have a higher intake of dairy fat may gain less weight over time.
“Whole milk or 2 percent milk may keep children feeling fuller,” May said.
May pointed out that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage consumers to move toward one percent milk or skim milk.
“The general consensus is foods high in fat and cholesterol can lead to heart disease,” May said. “We have to go with the stronger research right now.”
For now, the recommendation is to consume lower-fat dairy products, May said.