A new study shows how your dairy choices could affect your risk of type 2 diabetes

A new study shows how your dairy choices could affect your risk of type 2 diabetes

New study shows how dairy products like unfermented milk and cheese may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, while fermented options offer a surprising protective effect. Find out which dairy products could be a game changer for your health!

A new study of Swedish adults finds that high intake of unfermented milk and cheese may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. The study results will be published inThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

background

Diabetes, a chronic metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels, is becoming a major public health concern worldwide. By 2045, the prevalence will increase from 537 million in 2021 to 783 million.

Diet is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Dairy products are important components of any diet, and the nutritional components contained in these products are considered essential for growth and immune function.

A xenobiotic bound to dairy products - primarily from pesticides or veterinary drugs in livestock feed - was strongly linked to non-fermented milk intake. Its role in human metabolism remains unknown, but may signal the indirect health effects of industrial agriculture.

Regarding the associations between dairy product intake and risk of type 2 diabetes, studies have yielded mixed results, with some reporting inverse associations and others suggesting neutral associations.

Existing evidence also suggests a link between higher dairy intake and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. However, studies examining diabetes risk with very high intakes are lacking due to the lack of data in populations with high milk consumption.

Sweden is one of the countries with the highest intake of dairy products in the world. Various dairy products are consumed in regular diets in this country. These factors provide researchers with an appropriate opportunity to study the association between different types of dairy products and the risk of type 2 diabetes, with a particular focus on consumption levels.

In this study, researchers used high-quality dietary data from a group of Swedish adults to examine the effects of high intake of various dairy products on the risk of type 2 diabetes. They also examined plasma metabolites related to dairy intake.

Study design

The study analyzed milk intake data from 26,461 Swedish individuals who participated in the Malmö Study and Cancer Study (MDCS) between 1991 and 1996 and were followed until December 31, 2020.

The dairy products analyzed in the study included non-fermented milk, fermented milk (yogurt and sour milk), cheese, cream and butter.

To identify plasma metabolites associated with dairy intake, this study analyzed a subset of 893 participants with metabolomics data and dairy products separately. Metabolites are end products of metabolic reactions that serve as critical biomarkers of food intake. Assessment of plasma metabolite levels may provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between dairy products and type 2 diabetes.

Study results

Fermented Milk's Arabonate/Xylonate is not just a biomarker: it may reflect gut microbes that break down plant fiber more efficiently, linking yogurt consumption to improved glucose processing.

About 17% of study participants (4,552 of 26,461 participants) developed type 2 diabetes during the average follow-up period of 24 years.

The analysis, adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, dietary intake and body mass index (BMI), found that high consumption of unfermented milk and cheese may significantly increase the risk of developing diabetes. However, these associations were reduced after accounting for BMI (e.g. [HR] decreased from 1.40 to 1.15), suggesting that body weight may partially mediate the observed effects. In contrast, high consumption of fermented milk, cream and butter was associated with a significantly reduced risk of diabetes.

Specifically, the study found that a 100-gram increase in daily intake of non-fermented milk and fermented milk was associated with a 4% increased risk and a 3% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

Specifically, the study found that the association between dairy product intake and diabetes risk was independent of participants' socioeconomic status. Similarly, no significant effect of participants' gender was observed on the association between intake of non-fermented milk, fermented milk, cream and butter and the risk of diabetes. However, the negative impact of cheese intake on diabetes risk was observed more strongly in male participants, a notable sex-specific finding, but not in female participants.

By analyzing metabolomic data, the study identified 45, 48, 12, 27 and 46 metabolites that were uniquely associated with intake of non-fermented milk, fermented milk, cheese, cream and butter.

Plasma metabolite profiles of fermented milk showed positive associations with vegetables, fruits and dietary fiber and inverse associations with meat intake. In contrast, the metabolite profile of butter showed inverse associations with dietary fiber intake.

Investigate significance

Butter's unexpected benefit (lower diabetes risk) correlated with metabolites also found in nuts and seeds, suggesting that butter may share bioactive compounds with plant fats at minimal consumption.

The study shows that high intake of non-fermented milk may significantly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in Swedish men and women. The study also observed a similar positive association between very high cheese intake and diabetes risk. However, this club is limited to male participants only.

In contrast to the modest health effects of these dairy products, the study finds that higher intake of fermented milk, cream and butter has modest protective effects on the risk of type 2 diabetes in both Swedish men and women. These protective associations were weaker after adjusting for BMI (e.g., butter HR increased from 0.82 to 0.86), meaning that body weight may play a mediating role.

In particular, the study identifies sphingomyelins as robust plasma biomarkers of milk intake. Furthermore, a strong association between a xenobiotic metabolite and non-fermented milk intake was observed in the study. This metabolite, which belongs to the class of organic compounds known as salicylic acids, may serve as a novel biomarker of dairy intake.

For fermented milk, the strongest association was observed with arabonate/xylonate, a metabolite associated with pentose metabolism. Probiotics in fermented milk may be involved in this process. For cheese, the study identifies three novel plasma biomarkers that require further investigation for a more conclusive interpretation.

restrictions

The study measured milk intake only at baseline. This could be a potential limitation as changes in milk intake during the 24-year follow-up period may influence the observed associations with diabetes risk.

Furthermore, the study was conducted with middle-aged Swedish participants, which may limit the generalizability of the results to populations of different ethnicities and ages.

Sources: