Low-Fat Dairy Deters Diabetes?

(AP)  Eating low-fat dairy products may help slightly lower the risk of developing diabetes, a new study of more than 40,000 middle-aged men suggests.

Each additional serving of low-fat dairy per day resulted in a 9 percent drop in risk. The link could be due to whey proteins or magnesium, ingredients thought to enhance the action of insulin in regulating blood sugar.

But those ingredients are contained in high-fat dairy products, too, so researchers said they don't really know what caused the drop in risk. They cautioned against making major changes in diet based on the study.

Men who ate more low-fat milk, yogurt, ice cream and cheese were less likely to get Type 2 diabetes during a 12-year period. Sour cream, whole milk and cream cheese, however, didn't help.

The study found no evidence that dairy products help people shed pounds, although smaller studies have linked dietary calcium and weight loss.

Eating dairy could be associated with some hidden factor the healthier men shared that was reducing their risk of diabetes, said Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health, one of the study's authors.

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