Attentive grocery shoppers may notice new labels in the dairy aisle that promote yogurt as a form of reduce the risk of diabetes type 2.
That's because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently said it's okay for yogurt makers to make that claim, although the agency acknowledged it's based on limited evidence.
WHY DID THE FDA ALLOW YOGURT MANUFACTURERS TO CLAIM IT CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF DIABETES?
Danone North America, the U.S. branch of the French company that makes several popular brands of yogurt, requested authorization from the FDA in 2018 to conduct what is known as a “qualified health affirmation”. The FDA cleared Danone in March 2024.
From the FDA's point of view, there is some support (but not significant scientific agreement) that eating at least 2 cups of yogurt per week can reduce the risk of developing the disease that affects about 36 million Americans.
WHAT IS A 'QUALIFIED HEALTH CLAIM'?
These are claims that lack full scientific support, but are permitted as long as product labels include disclaimers to avoid misleading the public.
They have been allowed in dietary supplements since 2000 and in foods since 2002, since the FDA faced lawsuits challenging the standard of requiring scientific agreement for product claims. At the time, attorneys successfully argued that such standards violated free speech rights guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.
Instead of fighting the proposed label changes in court, the FDA created a new category, separate from authorized health claims, in which products must demonstrate significant scientific agreement among qualified experts that they reduce the risk of a disease or health-related condition.
Examples of qualified health claims include reports that consuming some types of cocoa may reduce heart disease and that cranberry juice may reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections in women.
WHAT DO EXPERTS SAY ABOUT YOGURT AND TYPE 2 DIABETES?
Danone presented data from studies that looked at participants over time and found a link between yogurt consumption and lower markers of diabetes. The FDA agreed that there is “some credible evidence” of the benefit of eating yogurt as a whole food, but not because of any particular nutrient it contains.
In other words, there is no direct evidence that yogurt can prevent diabetes; only weak evidence that eating yogurt may be associated with reductions in certain biomarkers that are linked to an increased risk of the disease.
Critics questioned the endorsement of the claim, saying it is not based on standard randomized controlled trials that could have shown whether yogurt really reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
No single food can reduce the risk of a disease linked to the overall diet, said the advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest. In fact, the label change could increase the risk of diabetes by encouraging the consumption of types of yogurt that include added sugars and mixes such as cookies and pretzels.
Marion Nestlé, a food policy expert, said qualified health claims based on limited evidence are “ridiculous at first sight”.
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