London, May 19: Eating at least two daily servings of dairy-rich diet is linked to lower risks of diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as the cluster of factors that heighten cardiovascular disease risk (metabolic syndrome), say researchers.

Dairy products included milk, yoghurt, yoghurt drinks, cheese and dishes prepared with dairy products, and were classified as full or low fat (1-2 per cent).

Butter and cream were assessed separately as these are not commonly eaten in some of the countries studied.

The observed associations were strongest for full-fat dairy products, indicated the findings published in the journal The BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.

For the study, researchers drew on people taking part in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study.

Participants were all aged between 35 and 70 and came from 21 countries including in India.

Usual dietary intake over the previous 12 months was assessed by means of Food Frequency Questionnaires.

Dairy products included milk, yoghurt, yoghurt drinks, cheese and dishes prepared with dairy products, and were classified as full or low fat (1-2 per cent).

Butter and cream were assessed separately as these are not commonly eaten in some of the countries studied.

Data on all five components of the metabolic syndrome were available for nearly 113,000 people: blood pressure, waist circumference, low levels of high-density cholesterol; blood fats and fasting blood glucose.

Some 46,667 people had metabolic syndrome – defined as having at least three of the five components.

The findings showed that total dairy and full-fat dairy, but not low-fat dairy, was associated with a lower prevalence of most components of metabolic syndrome, with the size of the association greatest in those countries with normally low dairy intakes.

At least two servings a day of total dairy were associated with a 24 per cent lower risk of metabolic syndrome, rising to 28 per cent for full-fat dairy alone, compared with no daily dairy intake.

The health of nearly 190,000 participants was also tracked for an average of nine years, during which time 13,640 people developed high blood pressure and 5351 developed diabetes.

At least two servings a day of total dairy was associated with an 11-12 per cent lower risk of both conditions, rising to a 13-14 per cent lower risk for 3 daily servings.

“If our findings are confirmed in sufficiently large and long term trials, then increasing dairy consumption may represent a feasible and low-cost approach to reducing metabolic syndrome,, diabetes, and ultimately cardiovascular disease events worldwide,” the authors wrote. (IANS)