Abstract
Background:
Investigating modifiable risk factors of early stages of the development of type 2 diabetes is essential for effective prevention. Some studies show protective associations between dairy and prediabetes, yet associations are heterogenous by type and fat content of dairy foods.
Objective:
To examine the relationship between the consumption of dairy, including different types of dairy products and the risk of prediabetes.
Methods:
The study included 4,891 participants with normal glucose tolerance (aged 49.0±12.3 years, 57% female) of the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study, a longitudinal population-based study. Dairy intake was measured at baseline using a food frequency questionnaire. Prediabetes at 5-year and 12-year follow-up was defined according to WHO criteria as fasting plasma glucose levels of 110-125 mg/dl or 2-hour plasma glucose levels of 140-199 mg/dl. Associations were analyzed using Poisson regression, adjusted for social demographics, lifestyle behaviors, family history of diabetes, and food group intake.
Results:
765 (15.6%) incident cases of prediabetes were observed. The mean intake of dairy foods was 2.4±1.2 servings/day, mostly consisting of low-fat milk (0.70±0.78) and high-fat milk (0.47±0.72). A higher intake of high-fat dairy (RRservings/day, 0.92, 95%CI 0.85-1.00), high-fat milk (0.89, 0.80-0.99), and total cheese (0.74, 0.56-0.96)was associated with lower prediabetes risk. Low-fat milk intake was associated non-linearly with prediabetes risk. Low-fat dairy foods, total milk, yogurt, low-fat cheese, and ice cream were not associated with prediabetes risk.
Conclusion:
In this large Australian cohort, protective associations were found for high-fat dairy types, while neutral associations were seen for low-fat dairy. Studies with more detail on sugar content of types of dairy foods and products eaten with dairy foods (e.g., cereals or jam), as well as studies into potential causal mechanisms of the health effects of dairy intake are required.
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