Dairy Decreases Diabetes

Dairy milk, cheeses, and yogurts are rich sources of calcium, a mineral that increases insulin secretion and may reduce insulin resistance.  Dagfinn Aune, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway), and colleagues completed a meta-analysis of 17 cohort studies of dairy product intake and risk of type-2 diabetes.  The team observed that high intake of dairy products was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of type-2 diabetes, with low-fat dairy products conferring the most pronounced effect.   The study authors conclude that: “This meta-analysis suggests that there is a significant inverse association between intakes of dairy products, low-fat dairy products, and cheese and risk of type 2 diabetes.”