Numerous factors may explain a beneficial effect of yogurt on body weight stability and metabolic fitness. Cohort studies show that the consumption of dairy including yogurt is related to a reduced intake of high fat-high sugar foods, suggesting that the benefits of dairy food may be due to a decrease in the potential negative effects of unhealthy eating. Yogurt consumption may thus be the signature of a global healthy lifestyle and food-related personal profile.
The ability of yogurt to promote a negative energy balance is also likely explained by the satiating and thermogenic effects of some of its nutrients, e.g. calcium and proteins, via mechanisms involving gut hormones. The presence of bacteria in yogurt represents another factor that may explain the effects of yogurt consumption on energy balance and its components.
