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In a decision nearly five years in the making, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has decided that yogurts can now make a limited claim that the food can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, the federal agency concluded Friday.
The decision represents the first qualified health claim the federal agency has issued for yogurt.
Qualified health claims “are supported by scientific evidence but do not meet the more stringent standard of 'significant scientific agreement' required for an approved health claim,” according to the FDA. “To ensure that these claims are not misleading, they must be accompanied by a disclaimer or other qualifying language to accurately convey to consumers the level of scientific evidence supporting the claim.”
In the case of yogurt, the claim states that, according to limited scientific evidence, “regular consumption of yogurt, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week,” may reduce the risk of the disease, which affects about 38 million people in the United States 462 million people worldwide are affected.
Basak Gurbuz Derma/Moment RF/Getty Images
Yogurt can be a nutrient-dense addition to a healthy diet.
The serving size recommendation is supported by the FDA's conclusion that, based on two prospective cohorts evaluated in high-quality studies, the specific amount is the minimum required to achieve the claimed effect.
Yogurt is made from milk fermented with the bacteria or probiotics Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus and is rich in calcium, protein, B vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
The move comes in response to a 2018 year Petition from food and beverage company Danone North America. According to a press release, the application triggered an FDA review of existing research on the links between yogurt and type 2 diabetes.
“The petition to have a qualified health claim related to type 2 diabetes appear on yogurt labels followed appropriate steps and included peer-reviewed research in support of their petition,” said Caroline Passerrello, registered dietitian and lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, via email.
But aside from being limited, the supporting research is also “not very strong,” Passerrello added. “Because of the way the study was conducted, we can't really say for sure that there is a causal relationship, but rather a link between type 2 diabetes and yogurt.”
CNN has reached out to the FDA for comment.
Qualified health claims have been approved by the FDA for dietary supplements since 2000 and for foods since 2002, but are rarely disclosed. In the last decade, only 10 foods were allowed to be sold with such claims – including those with high flavonol content cocoa powder to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cranberry products to reduce the likelihood of recurrent urinary tract infections in women.
Dr. Marion Nestle, a nutritionist and molecular biologist, echoed Passerrello's sentiments, adding that “qualified health claims are, on their face, ridiculous.”
“Why would any reasonable person think that all you need to do to prevent type 2 diabetes is eat two cups of yogurt a week?” said Nestlé, Paulette Goddard Professor Emeritus of Nutrition, Food Studies and public health at New York University, via email. “All we can hope for is that the yogurt is at least unsweetened, but since it's really difficult to find unsweetened yogurt, we want to tell people who want to avoid type 2 diabetes that sweetened yogurt is good for she is.”
“According to the FDA's review of the studies, the amount of sugar in yogurt had no impact on the results,” Nestlé added. “That’s why the FDA says sugar isn’t a problem.”
All yogurts can make this limited claim as long as they use the exact wording specified by the FDA, Nestle added. In several studies, high consumption of added sugars has been linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
What makes the claim even more dubious is the fact that the cause of type 2 diabetes is multifactorial. Although yogurt can be part of a healthy, weight-maintaining diet, “yoghurt alone is expected to have a causal relationship to diabetes prevention.” “Doesn't make sense in the context of the overall diet,” Nestle said.
In this context, using “common sense” is crucial when evaluating the health claims of products to make the best choice for your diet and health, Nestlé added.
Previous research has suggested limiting added sugar intake to less than 25 grams, or about 6 teaspoons, per day. This is equivalent to about 2 ½ chocolate chip cookies, 16 ounces of fruit punch, or about 1 ½ tablespoons of honey.
Nutritionist and author Lisa Drayer contributed to this report.
