A new era for food in health? The FDA announces a qualified health claim for yogurt intake and type II diabetes mellitus risk reduction

Introduction

Over the last two decades research has grown regarding dairy intake and health. It has been reported by many that yogurt intake may be associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). In this report, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to announce a qualified health claim for yogurt products regarding reduced risk of T2D in response to a Danone North America petition is discussed.

Methods

Relevant literature cited in the petition along with supporting evidence from PubMed and Google Scholar databases until April 1st, 2024 were used. Literature was found using relevant keywords.

Results

On March 1st, 2024, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the first ever qualified health claim, stating that there that eating yogurt regularly may reduce the risk of T2D according to limited scientific evidence. The enforcement discretion letter was critically reviewed and discussed regarding its future implications for people with T2M and public health.

Conclusions

It is unclear how this FDA decision will affect public health and nutrition in the long-term. Limited scientific evidence suggests that at least 3 servings of yogurt per week may reduce the risk of T2D incidence for the general population. Yogurt will not cure or treat people with T2D.