There is ongoing research on how food items impact a person with type 2 diabetes, for it has become way too common in the past couple of decades. Aside from the changes in our everyday lifestyle and schedule, our eating habits have changed significantly.
After nearly five years of deliberation, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized yogurt manufacturers to make a specific claim about the food’s potential health benefits. As of Friday, yogurt labels can include a limited health claim stating that consuming yogurt may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
This decision marks a significant milestone for the FDA, as it represents the first-ever qualified health claim issued for yogurt. It’s important to note that qualified health claims, in contrast to authorized health claims, are supported by scientific evidence but do not meet a stricter standard of “significant scientific agreement.” To ensure accurate communication to consumers regarding the level of scientific backing, the FDA requires qualified health claims to be accompanied by clear disclaimers or qualifying language.
The authorized claim for yogurt specifies that, based on limited scientific evidence, “regularly consuming yogurt, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week,” might offer some benefit in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. This particular disease affects approximately 38 million people in the United States alone and roughly 462 million people worldwide.
Yogurt is a rich source of Calcium, Protein, Vitamin B and minerals and studies show that these are the minimum of what we require for the desired results.
Dr. Caroline Passerrello, a registered dietitian nutritionist and instructor at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, acknowledged via email that the request for a qualified health claim regarding type 2 diabetes on yogurt labels followed proper procedures and included relevant peer-reviewed research.
However, Dr. Passerrello expressed concerns about the supporting evidence’s limitations and strength. She noted that “while the research supports the claim, it isn’t particularly robust.”
Furthermore, she pointed out that the study design “doesn’t definitively establish a cause-and- effect relationship, but rather suggests a potential association between yogurt consumption and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.”
While the FDA has allowed qualified health claims for dietary supplements since 2000 and for food since 2002, these claims are rarely announced and even rarer are the approvals. In the past ten years, only ten food products have received such claims, including high-flavanol cocoa powder linked to reduced cardiovascular disease risk and certain cranberry products linked to lower rates of recurrent urinary tract infections in women.
Dr. Marion Nestle, a prominent nutritionist and molecular biologist, shares concerns similar to Dr. Passerrello. She strongly criticizes the concept of qualified health claims, stating, “They are fundamentally unreasonable.” Dr. Nestle, Professor Emerita of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, further questions the logic behind the yogurt claim: “Why would anyone logically believe that simply consuming two cups of yogurt per week prevents type 2 diabetes?”
She emphasizes the importance of choosing unsweetened yogurt options, pointing out the scarcity of such options and the potential misleading message this claim sends to individuals seeking to prevent type 2 diabetes. Dr. Nestle highlights the FDA’s review, which found that “the sugar content in the yogurt did not significantly impact the results,” implying that the FDA considers sugar non-essential in this context.
Furthermore, Dr. Nestle emphasizes that any yogurt can make this claim as long as it adheres to the FDA’s exact wording. This is concerning, considering numerous studies link high added sugar consumption to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Finally, Dr. Nestle criticizes the claim’s dubious nature due to the multifactorial causes of type 2diabetes. She argues, “While yogurt can be a component of a healthy, weight-maintaining diet, expecting it to solely prevent diabetes in isolation from the broader dietary context is illogical.”
Limiting the sugar intake remains, still the utmost need to prevent type 2 diabetes.
