In the US, yogurt manufacturers have been allowed to state on their packaging that their products can prevent type 2 diabetes

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced that it will allow yogurt makers to claim that their products can prevent type 2 diabetes. The FDA found “limited scientific evidence” for this.

The decision was made in response to a petition filed by Danone North America, the maker of Activia, Dannon and Oikos yogurts. writes The New York Times.

According to the FDA statement, the label may state that “regular consumption of at least three servings of yogurt per week may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.” This weekly volume is called the minimum required to see benefits.

In its decision, the FDA cited 28 studies that provided such “evidence.” For example, in a 2014 article, scientists studied three large groups of American adults – a total of almost 200,000 people. They found that those who consumed two or more servings of yogurt per week had a 12% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who rarely ate yogurt.

However, in a 2019 study involving nearly 8,000 women, scientists found no significant link between yogurt consumption and the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

“Yoghurt can be rich in nutrients and part of a healthy diet. There is some evidence that people who eat it regularly have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes,” – says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of dietetics and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

According to him, yogurt is rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. Also, unlike most other dairy products, it contains significant amounts of live bacteria that can reduce inflammation and insulin resistance.

However, some experts opposed such claims on packages.

“Consumers may not understand that ‘limited evidence’ means that ‘evidence – not very convincing” – says Bonnie Liebman, Director of Nutrition at the Center for Science and the Public Interest.

All of the studies cited by the FDA were observational, meaning researchers first asked participants how much yogurt they consumed and then tracked whether they developed diabetes over time.

“Such studies cannot determine whether yogurt directly prevents type 2 diabetes, because people who eat yogurt may also have other healthy habits that may protect them from developing the disease.” – explains Mrs. Liebman.

We previously wrote about how brisk walking helps reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.