Type 2 Diabetes

Reduce your risk of diabetes

When it comes to type 2 diabetes, the good news is that your daily choices can make a difference. Research suggests that certain foods may play a role in lowering risk, including some you might already have at home.

Eat a healthy balanced diet

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend consumption of a wide variety of foods from the five food groups every day. These guidelines are backed by decades of research into what keeps our bodies functioning at their best.¹

Food choices can impact the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, research has found that the dairy food group may play a protective role.

Large scientific reviews, combining results of multiple studies (meta-analyses), found:

• There is no link between either regular or reduced fat dairy foods and the development of type 2 diabetes.²
• Rather, people with higher intakes of dairy foods, had an 11-20% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.³

How dairy foods help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes is still being researched. It’s likely that the calcium, vitamin D, protein, magnesium and certain fatty acids in dairy foods may play a role.⁴ Plus, live cultures found in fermented dairy foods such as yoghurt and kefir are also thought to be beneficial.⁵

Manage your weight

Reducing excess weight, especially around the waist, can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and help manage the condition in those already diagnosed.

Some people avoid dairy foods, thinking they contribute to weight gain, but research doesn’t support this.⁶ In fact, studies show that milk, cheese and yoghurt may actually help with weight management and, as part of a balanced diet, can even support weight loss.⁷

Managing diabetes and dairy foods

Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt can play an important role in managing type 2 diabetes.

Milk, cheese and yoghurt have a low glycaemic index (GI), making them ideal for people with diabetes. Low GI foods help prevent large 'ups and downs' of blood sugar levels, maintaining more consistent energy throughout the day. They are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolised, increasing feelings of fullness and reducing hunger.

Dairy foods like milk, cheese and yoghurt are naturally low GI due to their lactose content and protein, which work together to slow glucose release into the bloodstream. It’s a natural combination that supports balanced energy levels.

Visit the home of the glycaemic index to learn more about the GI of different foods.

References

1. National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Dietary Guidelines, Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2013.
2. Chen, M. Dairy consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis.BMC Med. 2014;12:215.
3. Gao D, Ning N, Wang C, Wang Y, Li Q, Meng Z et al. Dairy products consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(9):e73965.
4. Aune D, Norat, T, Romundstad, P, Vatten. Dairy products and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of cohort studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;98:1066-83.
5. Forouhi NG, Koulman A, Sharp S, Imamra F, Kroger J, Schulze MB et al. Differences in the prospective association between individual plasma phospholipid saturated fatty acids and incident type 2 diabetes: the EPIC-InterAct case-cohort study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2014;2:810-18.
6. Chen M, Pan A, Malik V, Hu F. Effects of dairy intake on body weight and fat: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J of Clin Nutr. 2012;96(4):735-47.
7. Abargouei A, Janghorbani M, Salehi-Marzijarani M, Esmaillzadeh A. Effect of dairy consumption on weight and body composition in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2012;36(12):1485-93.