Food manufacturers can advertise that eating yogurt regularly may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes without opposition from the Food and Drug Administration. announced on friday.
This decision petition Danone North America, the food giant whose major brands include Danone, Activia, Wallaby Organic and Silk, filed the application in 2018. The company asked the FDA for approval to have no objection to Danone marketing the yogurt because it can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The FDA confirmed Friday that it does not dispute this claim, with some caveats. Any representation to consumers must bear in mind that the evidence is limited and that eating two cups (three servings) of yogurt per week is the standard for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. The report said.
Danone filed the petition as part of the FDA’s standard process for what it calls a “qualified health claim.” Such claims do not require regulatory approval, but companies have petitioned the FDA to define specific language that they can safely use without being pursued by the agency for making false claims.
Danone’s petition raises the following points: nutrient profile Including the protein, vitamins, and low sodium contained in yogurt, the study to support of Link Demonstrates the relationship between regular yogurt consumption and reduced risk of diabetes and related diseases.
“The petition also noted that the evidence does not relate to a single nutrient or compound, but supports the health effects of yogurt as a food, and is therefore independent of fat or sugar content.” the FDA said in a statement.
Of course, the sugar and fat levels in yogurt vary widely.of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention While some low-fat or unsweetened yogurts are low in calories and a healthy source of protein, vitamin D, and calcium, flavored yogurts often contain more sugar. Therefore, it is necessary to limit it.research has been around for a long time showed link The relationship between high intake of added sugars and increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Some of the evidence supporting the health benefits of yogurt is 2022 surveyThe study found that eating fermented dairy products, especially yogurt, “may prevent the development” of type 2 diabetes.
Yogurt is also part of the Mediterranean diet, along with other staples such as fresh produce, whole grains, olive oil, and fish.a 2020 survey found that strict adherence to the diet significantly reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes. however, 2016 survey No association was found between dairy intake and disease.
Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, who provided scientific feedback to Danone when it created the petition, said the FDA’s decision was wise, “especially given the growing body of evidence about the health benefits of fermented yogurt.” He said there is.
But Mozaffarian, director of Tufts University’s Food as Medicine Institute, stressed that food cannot be marketed as completely preventing or treating disease.
“I think this is actually a significant issue for both the food industry and the FDA because food is actually medicine and in some cases food may treat or cure disease. “As we are learning now, there is no regulatory pathway to get there,” he said.