Type-2 diabetes (T2D) is the most prevalent kind of diabetes, and it occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the insulin produced does not function effectively.

The greatest risk factor for T2D is being overweight, and the number of cases is expected to rise. Heart disease, kidney illness, vision loss, and circulation difficulties, leading to foot amputation are all common consequences.

Current dietary recommendations for the prevention of T2D emphasize consuming a variety of plant-based foods, including whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, and olive oil, while generally advising against consuming excessive amounts of most animal products.

However, not all animal protein sources are nutritionally equivalent.

If the guidelines were updated based on how different animal products affect T2D, it would be easier for people to choose the best foods to lower their risk of diabetes.

A review of prior studies linking certain animal-based meals and diabetes was undertaken by Dr. Annalisa Giosu of the University of Naples Federico II and her colleagues.

They said that this kind of “review of reviews” is one of the strongest types of medical evidence.

There were 175 different estimates of the effects of consuming 12 various types of animal products on the risk of type 2 diabetes, including total meat, red meat, white meat, processed meat, fish, total dairy, full-fat dairy, low-fat dairy, milk, cheese, yoghurt, and eggs.

Beef, lamb, and pork are all considered red meat, whereas chicken and turkey are considered white. Bacon, sausages, and deli meat are examples of processed meat.

Consuming 100g of total meat per day (20%), 100g of red meat per day (22%), and 50g of processed meat per day (30%) was linked to a “substantial” rise in the risk of T2D, although 50g of white meat per day was linked to a lesser risk increase (4%).

According to Dr. Giosu, there could be several potential reasons for this.

For example, as explained by Dr. Giosu, “red and processed meat are important sources of components like saturated fatty acids, cholesterol and haem iron, all known to promote chronic low-level inflammation and oxidative stress, which, in turn, can reduce the sensitivity of the cells to insulin.

“Processed meats also contain nitrites and sodium which, among other adverse effects, can damage the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.

“White meat, in comparison, has a lower fat content, a more favourable fatty acid profile and a lower amount of haem iron.”

Dairy products, on the other hand, appeared to either neutralize the development of T2D or to offer some protection against it, according to the expert.

Milk (200g/day) was linked to a 10% lower risk, dairy in general (200g/day) was linked to a 5% lower risk, and low-fat dairy (200g/day) was linked to a 3% lower risk. Yogurt (100 grams per day) was linked to a 6% risk reduction.

Full-fat dairy products (200g/day) and cheese (30g/day) were found to have no impact on the risk of T2D.

“Dairy products are rich in nutrients,” add the author, “vitamins and other bioactive compounds which may favourably influence glucose metabolism – the processing of sugar by the body.

“For example, whey proteins in milk are known to modulate the rise of blood sugar levels after eating.

“Probiotics are also known to exert beneficial effects on glucose metabolism, which may explain why we found that a regular consumption of yogurt is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.”

Although the results imply that low-fat dairy products are healthier than full-fat dairy products, Dr. Giosu cautioned that because of the tiny size of the risk decrease, the findings should be interpreted “cautiously.”

“Type 2 diabetes is one of the major causes of diet-related death worldwide,” she continued.

In order to prevent type 2 diabetes, it is important to understand how various dietary elements affect risk.

“Although more well-conducted research is needed to achieve high quality of evidence required to give solid recommendations, our extensive review of the scientific evidence shows that regular consumption of dairy foods in moderate amounts, especially low-fat products, milk and yoghurt, may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

“It is also clear that while red and processed meat should be eaten sparingly, moderate amounts of fish and eggs could be good substitutes.”

These results will be presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Stockholm, Sweden, next week.

Image Credit: Getty

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