Dairy Foods May Lower Insulin Resistance

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Dairy Foods May Lower Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance syndrome (IRS), characterized by glucose intolerance, low HDL cholesterol levels, and hypertension, is possibly caused by a combination of obesity, insulin resistance, and excessive blood-insulin levels.

Environmental factors like smoking and low activity levels increase insulin resistance; however, a possible link between individual dietary factors, such as dairy consumption, and IRS has not been determined.

Utilizing the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study of cardiovascular disease risk factors in four U.S. cities, researchers analyzed four-week food-frequency questionnaires from 3,157 individuals. "Dairy products" were those that were 100% dairy (e.g., milk) or primarily dairy (e.g., sour cream); body mass index (BMI) was used to determine obesity.

Results: In overweight individuals, the risk for developing IRS was 72% less in the highest dairy consumption group (over 35 times per week) compared to the lowest (less than 10 times per week). Each additional occasion of dairy consumption per day was linked to a 21% decrease in IRS risk. The odds for IRS were 4-5 times higher in overweight individuals than healthy subjects. In individuals with healthy weights, dairy consumption did not significantly affect IRS prevalence.

The authors postulate that the calcium, potassium, and magnesium found in high levels in dairy products may be responsible for their potential to reduce risks for type-2 diabetes and heart disease. Calcium intake was inversely associated with IRS in this study, but after adjusting for intake of calcium and other nutrients, the benefits of dairy consumption remained.

Pereira MA, Jacobs DR, Van Horn L, et al. Dairy consumption, obesity, and the insulin resistance syndrome in young adults: The CARDIA study. Journal of the American Medical Association 2002:287(16), pp. 2081-2089.