Dairy intake and reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes in older adults and adolescents

Project overview

Dairy consumption by older adults and adolescents has decreased in the last 30 years. Associated with this decrease are an increase in overweight and the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in both ages. 

It is hypothesized that adding dairy to the diet will slow or prevent the development of risk factors for obesity and T2D in both age groups, for two reasons. First, frequent dairy consumption is associated with healthier body weight and a lower incidence of T2D. Second, appetite and blood glucose are lower immediately following a serving of dairy and result in lower energy intake at the following meal.

The primary objective of this project is to assess if dairy is associated with a reduced risk of obesity and T2D in adolescents and older adults. 

What Will the Research Team Do?

The research team will conduct randomized controlled trials in which a group of older adults and adolescents will add 3 servings per day of dairy foods (milk, yogurt and cheese) to their usual diet (low in dairy) for 24 weeks. Both groups will receive dietetic counseling to follow Canada’s Food Guide. 

HbA1c (a measure of chronic high blood glucose) and Body Mass Index (the ratio of weight to height) will be the main measures. Additional measures of risk for obesity and T2D will be fasting insulin, blood glucose, body composition, and lipid measures of cardiovascular disease. 

Satiety, food intake (FI), post-prandial glycemia (PPG), insulin, and satiety hormones will be measured in response to single servings of dairy in short-term studies. 

The objectives of this project are to: 

1. Determine the effectiveness of regular consumption of dairy on the progression of obesity and insulin resistance in older adults.

2. Determine the effectiveness of regular consumption of dairy foods to prevent weight gain and lower the risk of insulin resistance in adolescents. 

3. Address sustainability of responses to dairy in a short-term study in a sub-set of older adults and adolescents.

4. Support satiety and PPG health claims through two short-term comparative studies of dairy with plant alternatives in older adults and adolescents.