A graduate of the Georgetown University School of Medicine, John Macoviak has been involved in the medical field for more than 40 years. During that time, he has worked as a heart transplant surgeon and medical researcher. Since retiring from clinical practice, John Macoviak maintains his involvement in the medical community as an author and blogger on medical topics such as diabetes and hypertension.
According to a study published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, consuming higher amounts of dairy reduces the rates of both diabetes and hypertension. Though previous studies have hinted at this link, they were primarily performed in North America and Europe, so the findings could not be generalized to the entire population. However, the current research looked at nearly 150,000 individuals between the ages of 35 and 70 from 21 countries around the world. These countries were located in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America.
To gather data from participants, researchers used questionnaires regarding each person’s food consumption over the course of a year. Participants outlined how many times they ate certain foods from a list, such as yogurt, milk, and meals made with dairy. They also noted whether the dairy was low fat or whole-fat. In addition, researchers gathered medical histories, blood pressure, and other details about each participant, including waist circumference and fat levels.
After 9 years, researchers followed up with patients and found that those people who consumed at least two servings of low fat or whole-fat dairy a day had between 11 and 12 percent lower risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. This reduction in prevalence was higher for people who had whole-fat dairy. Further, the risk of metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of heart disease, was 24 percent lower in people who had at least two servings of dairy a day.
According to a study published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, consuming higher amounts of dairy reduces the rates of both diabetes and hypertension. Though previous studies have hinted at this link, they were primarily performed in North America and Europe, so the findings could not be generalized to the entire population. However, the current research looked at nearly 150,000 individuals between the ages of 35 and 70 from 21 countries around the world. These countries were located in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North and South America.
To gather data from participants, researchers used questionnaires regarding each person’s food consumption over the course of a year. Participants outlined how many times they ate certain foods from a list, such as yogurt, milk, and meals made with dairy. They also noted whether the dairy was low fat or whole-fat. In addition, researchers gathered medical histories, blood pressure, and other details about each participant, including waist circumference and fat levels.
After 9 years, researchers followed up with patients and found that those people who consumed at least two servings of low fat or whole-fat dairy a day had between 11 and 12 percent lower risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. This reduction in prevalence was higher for people who had whole-fat dairy. Further, the risk of metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk of heart disease, was 24 percent lower in people who had at least two servings of dairy a day.
