Milk Cuts Diabetes Risk

By M.K. Ansari, Ph.D. Monday November 14, 2011

Breast-feeding by nursing mothers, and eating and drinking milk products by men and women have been shown to lower weight, increase insulin’s ability to work, and reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.

BREAST-FEEDING
One of the studies, looking into the link between breast-feeding and lowering of risk for type 2 diabetes, appeared in the Journal of American Medical Association in 2005. The study covered more than 157,000 mothers who breast-fed their babies. The researchers found that each year of breast-feeding reduced the mother’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 15 percent in the next 15 years. Scientists believe that breast-feeding influences milk secretion in nursing mothers, which somehow improves insulin efficiency, contributing to long-term protection against type 2 diabetes.

Breast-feeding not only helps the mothers to reduce their risk for diabetes, it also helps reduce the risk in breast-fed children. A study involving more than 1, 5000 boys and girls (9 to 14 years old), was conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health to look into the relationship between breast-feeding and weight increase. The study results published recently in Diabetes Care have shown that babies who were breast-fed during the first year of life, even when their mothers were obese and had diabetes, were less likely to become obese as they grew older. A healthier weight in these people reduced their risk for type 2 diabetes nearly by 15 percent.

MILK AND OTHER DAIRY PRODUCTS
Several studies, including the one appearing in the journal Obesity Research in 2004, showed that consumption of dairy foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt has a weight lowering effect. Weight loss, in turn, reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes.

Evidence has emerged, proving that when you follow a low calorie eating plan, and include at least 3 cups (8-ounce each) of fat free or low fat milk daily, you will achieve accelerated weight loss. Research suggests that it is calcium present in milk that speeds up the natural burning of body fat while maintaining muscle mass. Interestingly, the research has also shown that using calcium supplements is not as effective in cutting down excess weight as taking milk, cheese, or yogurt, which are rich in calcium.

Here is more. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002 reported a Harvard Medical School study, which showed that overweight young adults who drink milk and eat more dairy products may be at reduced risk of developing insulin resistance. Lowering of insulin resistance cuts the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

You may try to achieve your weight management goals by following daily a low-calorie diet, comprising of at least 3 cups of milk or an equivalent combination of milk, cheese, and yogurt. (1 cup of milk equals 1 cup yogurt or 1 to 1.5 ounces of natural cheese such as Cheddar or Mozzarella.). Do not forget to include exercise on a regular basis in your weight management plan.