Overview

• The FDA has authorized yogurt producers to make a qualified health claim that eating yogurt could lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes, based on limited scientific evidence.
• Consumers must consume at least two cups or three servings of yogurt per week to potentially see the benefits.
• The claim is allowed irrespective of the yogurt's fat or sugar content, though concerns about high added sugar content have been raised.
• Danone North America, a major yogurt manufacturer, initiated the petition leading to the FDA's decision, citing 117 publications in support.
• Critics argue that the evidence for the claim is not based on randomized controlled trials, and warn against the potential increase in consumption of high-sugar yogurts.