It’s no secret that yogurt is good for you. Yogurt is full of things we want more of; it is nutrient dense, and it contains calcium, potassium, magnesium, proteins and live ferments. But did you know that yogurt is also associated with things we want less of? Recent research shows that yogurt may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 28 percent

During the 2nd Global Summit on the Health Effects of Yogurt, Nita Forouhi, MRC Epidemiology Unit Programme Leader and Public Health Physician in Cambridge, UK, highlighted the encouraging data on the positive effects of yogurt during the “Dietary Dairy Product Intake and Incident Type 2 Diabetes” session.

During the fringe poster sessions at the conference, Dr Paul Jacques (Tufts University, USA) presented the results of a study showing the interesting impact of yoghurt on metabolic diseases.

Conducted among American consumers, this study demonstrated that the consumption of yoghurt is associated with a reduction in the risk of incidence of hypertension, and emphasises that each weekly portion of yoghurt can reduce this risk by 6.

Yogurt and yogurt rich protein facilitate short-term control of appetite and energy, as presented by Angelo Tremblay, PhD, at the 2nd Global Summit on the Health Effects of Yogurt.

Dr. Tremblay has conducted extensive research related to obesity and particularly satiety. Satiety—with a reduced energy intake—is actually promoted by dairy proteins. Recently, an afternoon snack of greek yogurt, rich in protein, has been shown to reduce hunger, increase fullness. Meanwhile, research shows that lower calcium intake is associated with higher food intake, which has been hypothesized to be an attempt at restoring calcium homeostasis.

Yogurt consumption can facilitate appetite control through replacement of some less healthy foods like carbonated and sweetened beverages low in calcium, by providing essential nutrients such as calcium and protein, and towards the design of satiating yogurt rich in protein or fibers that can have a long-term favorable effect on body weight.

Prof. Olivier Goulet (Hospital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France) reminded us of the importance of the advances made in recent years in the analysis of the composition and understanding of the function of intestinal microbiota.

One of the first points that he particularly stressed dealt with the considerable impact of microbiotic colonisation after birth upon the health of the future adult. The specialist used the term “microbiotical programming” to explain this phenomenon, which can be disrupted in particular by premature birth, Caesarean section or the use of baby formula instead of breast milk.

Numerous recent research projects have also clearly established a link between obesity and the composition and functions of intestinal flora. On this subject, certain studies have suggested a potential role for fermented milk products as well as probiotics and prebiotics in regulating intestinal flora, among the future options that may contribute to the prevention of obesity as well as other pathologies such as inflammatory diseases or allergies.

René Rizzoli, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Head of the Service of Bone Diseases at the University Hospitals of Geneva, is the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) representative in the Yogurt in Nutrition Initiative (YINI).

In post-menopausal women, yogurt contributes to support intakes of protein and calcium and vitamin D, particularly when enriched in those nutrients.  Dr. Rizzoli has examined extensively the importance of dairy protein for musculoskeletal health.

Dr. Rizzoli participated in a working group within the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) to provide clinical recommendations on protein and vitamin D intakes for prevention of the age-related musculoskeletal disorders in postmenopausal or elderly women.

While external supplementation is available, the working group recommended optimal dietary protein and vitamin D intakes, regular physical exercise and advised consuming preferentially high quality protein, such as those from dairy sources.

“One of the most important modifications of yogurt in modern times is the global access of ready to eat products, whether in packages suitable for children, with probiotics or with claims regarding intestinal functioning,” said Mauro Fisberg, MD, PhD, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“There is a growing body of evidence linking yogurt consumption to good health, and additional research to identify the scientific link between yogurt and potential health benefits is underway.”

Milk protein in yogurt are beneficial to elderly heath status especially muscle strength and mass, as was discussed at the 2nd Global Summit on the Health Effects of Yogurt by Robert R. Wolfe, PhD, the Director of the Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Dr. Wolfe’s recent study focused on the importance of plentiful protein for the elderly not just in maintaining muscle mass, but to benefit in cardiovascular and bone health. For the elderly, the optimal intake of protein is approximately 1.5 grams/kilogram body weight/day, which yogurt can help meet. Therefore yogurt and other milk proteins can help people through lifespan consume enough high quality protein without overloading on calories.

Nutrient profile models calculate the content of key nutrients per 100 g, 100 kcal, or per serving size of food. Nutrient profile models need to be based on nutrient composition data that are public and also to be validated against independent measures of healthy diet.

The Nutrient-Rich Foods (NRF) family of nutrient profile models included beneficial nutrients as well as nutrients to limit. The NRF model performance was repeatedly tested against the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), an independent measure of a healthy diet. The final NRF9.3 index was based on 9 nutrients to encourage (protein; fiber; vitamins A, C, and E; calcium; iron; potassium; and magnesium) and on 3 nutrients to limit (saturated fat, added sugar, and sodium). Higher NRF9.3 scores were associated with lower energy density and more nutrient-rich diets.

The nutrient density of foods, together with an efficient program of consumer education, can become the foundation of dietary recommendations and guidelines.

Source : Drewnowski A, Fulgoni VL. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 May;99(5 Suppl):1223S-8S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.073395. Epub 2014 Mar 19.

Low lactase activity allows undigested lactose to reach the colon where the anaerobic activity of bacteria yields different products. These are principally short chain fatty acids, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane, responsible for symptoms mainly consisting of abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and diarrhoea.

Lactase deficiency may be genetically mediated or acquired after weaning, or secondary to diseases damaging the small bowel mucosa, such as celiac disease, enteritis or Crohn’s disease. Lactose malabsorption is due to lactase deficiency and its clinical expression is lactose intolerance: in clinical practice, lactose malabsorption is diagnosed using the hydrogen breath test (HBT) that should be accompanied by the collection of intolerance symptoms potentially provoked by HBT.

The treatment is lactose avoidance/reduction in the diet: this approach should be reserved for symptomatic patients (“intolerants”). Dietetic advice should aim to ensure nutritional adequacy of the diet and to avoid nutritional deficiencies, in particular due to a lower calcium intake. Yogurt is well tolerated by symptomatic subjects, as a result of the residual activity of lactase in the bacteria that it contains, breaking down the lactose.

Source: Dainese-Plichon R et al. Nutr Clin Métabol 2014 ; 28(1) : 46-51.

This review provides a current perspective on proposed mechanisms that may underlie these effects.

Results from epidemiological studies generally support that consumption of milk and dairy products is associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) or improvements in glucose homeostasis indices. In addition, studies of animal and cell models support a positive effect of dairy-rich diets or components on metabolic and inflammation factors relevant to T2D and insulin resistance.

Emerging evidence indicates that dairy components that alter mitochondrial function (e.g. leucine actions on silent information regulator transcript 1 (SIRT1)-associated pathways), promote gut microbial population shifts, or influence inflammation and cardiovascular function (e.g. Ca-regulated peptides calcitonin gene-related peptide [CGRP] or calcitonin) should be considered as possible mechanistic factors linking dairy intake with lower risk for T2D. The possibility that dairy-derived trans-palmitoleic acid (tC16:1) has metabolic bioactivities has also been suggested.

Source: Hirahatake KM et al Metabolism – Clinical and Experimental Volume 63, Issue 5, Pages 618–627, May 2014