A prospective study of yogurt and other dairy consumption in relation to incidence of type 2 diabetes among black women in the USA

Abstract

Yogurt consumption and low-fat dairy consumption have been associated with reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in some studies. We assessed the relation of yogurt and other dairy consumption to incidence of T2D in black women, a population group with a disproportionately high incidence of T2D. The Black Women's Health Study has followed 59,000 US black women since 1995 through biennial questionnaires which update health information. Each questionnaire inquired about doctor-diagnosed diabetes in the previous 2 y. FFQs completed by participants in 1995 and 2001 provided information on yogurt and other dietary intake. HRs with 95% CIs for yogurt (nonfrozen or frozen) and other dairy consumption in relation to incident T2D (n=8061 cases) were estimated with Cox proportional hazards regression, controlling for risk factors for T2D. The HR for consumption of ≥1 serving of yogurt/d relative to <1 serving/mo was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.13, P trend=0.65) after control for dietary and nondietary risk factors for T2D. The multivariable HR was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.75, 1.27; P trend=0.74) for 2 or more servings/d of low-fat dairy other than yogurt relative to <1 serving/mo and 1.06 (95% CI: 0.91, 1.25, P trend=0.36) for 2 or more servings/d of regular dairy relative to <1 serving/mo. Results from this study do not support an inverse association of yogurt consumption or other dairy consumption with T2D risk in black women.