A natural substance found in dairy products appears to protect against diabetes, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Trans-palmitoleic acid is present in milk, cheese, yogurt and butter, but cannot be made by the body. A study of over 3,700 people found higher levels of trans-palmitoleic acid was linked with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. People with the highest levels cut their risk by 60the study says.
Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, the lead author of the report, says: “The magnitude of this association is striking. This represents an almost three-fold difference in risk of developing diabetes among individuals with the highest blood levels of this fatty acid.”
More research is needed to see whether these trans-palmitoleic acids can play a useful role in preventing Type 2 diabetes. The study tracked the health of the study participants over a 20-year period. The results showed that higher levels of trans-palmitoleic acid were associated with healthier levels of blood cholesterol, insulin levels and insulin sensitivity, even when other factors were taken into account.
Type 2 diabetes affects more than 2.3m people in the UK, it is estimated. Up to half a million more Britons also have the condition but do not yet know it.