Did You Know? You can reduce the risk of diabetes and hypertension by increasing the intake of dairy products:
In a recent study of 150,000 participants, researchers found that a higher intake of dairy products, particularly whole-fat varieties, is linked with a lower risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. An unhealthful diet is a significant risk factor for both diabetes and hypertension and dairy products are of particular interest, following research indicating that dairy consumption is associated with lower blood pressure. Studies have also shown that eating more dairy is linked with a lower risk of diabetes. Now, a large international study of data from almost 150,000 people has concluded that a higher intake of dairy, especially whole-fat varieties, is associated with a lower risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. The study also concluded that increased whole- fat dairy consumption was associated with lower rates of metabolic syndrome — a cluster of symptoms that increase the risk of heart disease. Dairy products were classified either as whole fat, such as whole milk, or low fat, such as skim milk. The researchers also considered information about each participant's medical history, prescriptions, education, blood pressure, waist circumference, and levels of glucose and fat in the blood. The results of the study showed that, on average, people ate 179 grams of dairy each day. This is slightly less than a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt per day, each of which measures 244 grams. People in Europe and North and South America, on average, ate more dairy than those in Asia and Africa. People in Europe and North America also tended to eat more low-fat dairy products, whereas those in other regions consumed more whole-fat varieties. When analyzing the associations, the researchers found that having at least two servings of dairy per day was associated with a 24% lower risk of metabolic syndrome, compared with having no dairy at all. Having at least two servings of whole fat dairy, meanwhile, was associated with a 28% lower risk of metabolic syndrome. Consuming only low-fat dairy was not associated with a reduction in metabolic syndrome risk. Having at least two servings per day of any dairy product was also associated with an 11–12% lower risk of having both diabetes and high blood pressure. The association was more influential in those who consumed whole fat dairy. The findings are published in the journal B.M.J. Open Diabetes Research & Care. | 