Latest Type II Diabetes Study Asks Meaningless Question

The Daily Mail recently published an article on the results of a Swedish study that showed the following associations between dairy products and type II diabetes and meat and type II diabetes:

 Eight or more full-fat dairy portions a day cuts risk of type 2 diabetes by 23%

 High-fat fermented milk – found in yoghurts or full-fat milk – cuts risk by 20% 

 People who consume 30ml of cream cut their risk by 15%

 Those who ate lots of meat increased their risk, regardless of fat content

 In fact, the risk of developing diabetes increased with lower fat meats 

The article is entitled “Eating full-fat milk, cream and cheese CUTS risk of type 2 diabetes, study finds”.

In the past I would have taken the time to break down this study before commenting, but this reductionist study that asks an irrelevant and ridiculous question doesn’t deserve too much of my time.

In the new study, the researchers wanted to examine the association between intake of fat from dairy or meat and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. I don’t see how the results of this prospective cohort study provide any useful information.

I asked myself the three questions Dr. T. Colin Campbell recommends be asked whenever one evaluates the results and conclusions of a research study.

1.  Is it True that the fat in dairy can have a protective effect against insulin  resistance?

My thoughts: Inconclusive

The study had a reductionist design as the researchers sought to compare the association of dairy fat and fat in meat with risk of developing type II DM. I believe a study like this one cannot give us an answer because we don’t know the overall makeup of the diets and lifestyles of study participants.    What if most people consuming high fat dairy are eating very little meat and added oils? Maybe the benefit comes from the reduction in meat and oils rather than the high dairy fat intake. Or maybe high fat dairy eaters in Sweden exercise a whole lot more. I doubt these and many other variables were considered or adjusted for.

2.  Is it the whole truth?

My thoughts: No

As far as Whole Truth goes, I’d like to know the high fat dairy’s associations with CAD, various cancers, various autoimmune diseases and other chronic diseases.. Many studies have shown strong associations between dairy and chronic diseases. It would be nice to know if this study looked at other disease conditions other than type II diabetes.   I favor more wholistic approaches to these types of studies. It tells us a whole lot more about whether a food promotes health or disease.

Olive Oil companies have used studies like this to promote olive oil as a heart healthy food. Any benefit that olive oil provides comes from what it typically replaces – animal fat or hydrogenated oils.   The same thing could be happening with milk fat.

3.  Does it Matter?

My thoughts: No

Research has shown that low fat WFPB diets can reverse Type II DM.

Would adding 8 servings of high fat dairy to these diets reduce the risk of developing type II DM by 23%? I doubt it.

Would people eating the traditional Okinawan diet (which contains just about no dairy) reduce their risk of developing type II diabetes by adding 8 servings of high fat dairy? Once again, I doubt it as Type II DM is just about nonexistent among Okinawans following their traditional diet.

As far as I’m concerned, nutrition researchers need to start asking better questions.