Can yogurt reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes?

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Can yogurt reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes?

2024-05-07 00:06 Last Updated At：05-08 13:51

Sharp-eyed grocery shoppers may notice new labels in the dairy aisle touting yogurt as way to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

That’s because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently said it’s OK for producers of yogurt to make that claim — even though the agency acknowledged that it’s based on limited evidence.

Danone North America, the U.S. branch of the French firm that makes several popular yogurt brands, asked the FDA in 2018 for clearance to make what is known as a “qualified health claim.” FDA gave Danone the nod in March.

The way FDA sees it, there’s some support — but not significant scientific agreement — that eating at least 2 cups of yogurt per week may reduce the risk of developing the disease that affects about 36 million Americans.

Those are claims that lack full scientific support but are permitted as long as the product labels include disclaimers to keep from misleading the public.

They have been allowed for dietary supplements since 2000 and for foods since 2002, ever since the FDA faced lawsuits challenging the standard of requiring scientific agreement for product claims. Back then, lawyers successfully argued that such standards violated free speech rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.

Rather than fight proposed label changes in court, the FDA created a new category, separate from authorized health claims, in which products must prove significant scientific agreement among qualified experts that they reduce the risk of a disease or a health-related condition.

Examples of qualified health claims include reports that consuming some types of cocoa may reduce heart disease and that cranberry juice might cut the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections in women.

Danone submitted information from studies that observed participants over time and found a link between eating yogurt and lower markers of diabetes. The FDA agreed that there is “some credible evidence” of benefit of eating yogurt as a whole food, but not because of any particular nutrient in it.

In other words, there is no direct evidence that yogurt can prevent diabetes — only weak evidence that eating yogurt may be associated with reducing certain biomarkers that are related to increase risk of the disease.

Critics questioned approval of the claim, saying it’s not based on gold-standard randomized controlled trials that could have proven whether yogurt actually reduces Type 2 diabetes risk.

No single food can reduce the risk of a disease tied to overall diet, the advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest said. In fact, the label change might raise the risk of diabetes by encouraging consumption of yogurt types that include added sugars and mix-ins such as cookies and pretzels.

Marion Nestle, a food policy expert, said qualified health claims based on limited evidence are “ridiculous on their face.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Rangers outlast Angels 3-2 in 13 innings when Lowe gets hit by pitch

2024-05-19 11:39 Last Updated At：11:41

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Nathaniel Lowe was hit by a pitch from Carson Fulmer with the bases loaded in the 13th inning, forcing home the winning run as the Texas Rangers outlasted the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 on Saturday night.

Lowe tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Adolis García homered in the sixth for the Rangers (24-23), who won for the third time in 10 games. The defending World Series champions have never been under .500 since Bruce Bochy took over as manager before last season.

Taylor Ward and Jo Adell homered for the Angels, who went 0 for 18 with runners in scoring position — including 0 for 10 in extra innings. They left 11 on base overall.

Fulmer (0-2) gave up a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Ezequiel Duran in the 13th, sending automatic runner Travis Jankowksi from second base to third. Marcus Semien lined out to third, and the Angels intentionally walked Corey Seager to load the bases. That brought up Lowe, who was plunked by Fulmer’s next pitch.

Yerry Rodríguez (1-0) pitched two hitless innings for his first major league win.

Texas trailed 2-1 in the eighth before Semien drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on Seager’s single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lowe.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker, the third overall pick in the 2022 amateur draft, threw a bullpen that came four days before the one-year anniversary of his Tommy John surgery. The team wanted to get a biomechanical update on Rocker via the motion capture system available on the game mound.

UP NEXT

RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-2, 3.75 ERA), who made 18 starts for the Angels in 2022, pitches Sunday for Texas against Angels RHP Jose Soriano (1-4, 3.72) in the series finale.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb