2010 A Big Year for Dairy

In 2010 dairy generated a lot of interest as new research revealed previously unknown benefits and better ways to incorporate dairy products into a healthy diet. The Dairy Institute has funded much of this research and as the new year approaches, they highlighted some of the top insights from 2010:

1. Type 2 Diabetes: diabetes is truly becoming an epidemic, with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicting that by the year 2050, one in three U.S. adults could have diabetes. New research shows that diary may play a positive role in reducing the risk of diabetes.

2. Heart Disease: New research has found that dairy may reduce the risk of heart disease. A study conducted by the Dairy Research Institute discovered that higher blood levels of fatty acids found specifically in dairy products were associated with a decrease in the likelihood of a first heart attack in women.

3. Bone Health: Although dairy has long been known to provide bone health benefits due to its calcium and vitamin D content, new studies have expanded previous science backing dairy's bone health potential.

4. Obesity: Emerging research shows that dairy may reduce key factors related to obesity and metabolic syndrome.

The Dairy Institute plans to continue conducting cutting edge research on dairy and believes the most promising findings thus far relate

to the implications for type-2 diabetes, which they believe will be the disease that “breaks the healthcare bank.”