Consumption of high-fat dairy foods linked to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes

People who eat high-fat dairy products face reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, says a new study.

Ulrika Ericson, who conducted the study, said that people who ate most high-fat dairy products had a 23% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least. High meat consumption was linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes regardless of the fat content of the meat.

The researchers studied the eating habits of 27 000 individuals aged 45 to 74. The participants took part in the Malmo Diet and Cancer study in the early 1990s, in which they provided details of their eating habits. Twenty years on, over 10% - 2 860 people - had developed type 2 diabetes.

When they investigated the consumption of saturated fatty acids that were slightly more common in dairy products than in meat, a link with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes was found.

The results suggest that people should not focus solely on fat, but rather consider what foods they eat. Many foodstuffs contain different components that maybe harmful or beneficial to health, and it is the overall balance that mattered.

The study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.