Eating fatty cheese, yogurt and butter could lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes

A new study now says that eating cheese could help lower one’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

According to a story published in MailOnline, scientists found that people who consumed fat-rich dairy, such as cheese, cream and yogurt, were less likely than those who did not to be diagnosed with the disease.

While the last few years have seen advocates saying whole milk and other dairy products are high in calories and saturated fat, the team, led by the University of Cambridge in the UK, says its findings show that consuming dairy shouldn't be discouraged - and that a reexamination of the potential metabolic benefits of dairy is needed.

Some previous research has found that eating dairy products, particularly cheese and yogurt, was linked to a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes - but findings have been inconsistent.

The study found that that participants with higher concentrations of dairy-fat biomarkers had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

People among the top-fifth of high concentrations of dairy-fat biomarkers had a 30 percent lower risk of the disease compared to the bottom-fifth.

This was independent of other potential risk factors including age, sex, race ethnicity, socioeconomic status, physical activity and obesity.

'Our results provide the most comprehensive global evidence to date about dairy fat biomarkers and their relationship with lower risk of type 2 diabetes,' said lead author, Dr Fumiaki Imamura from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge.

The researchers note that their findings cannot distinguish which dairy products offer the greatest protection.

For future research, the team would like to examine different types of dairy products eaten in diverse populations to see if preparation methods play a role.

The study comes on the heels of research published last month from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, that found three servings of dairy per day could help lower your risk of heart disease.