Beyond total dairy intake: product-specific associations with cardiometabolic risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes—a cross-sectional analysis of the RaNCD cohort

Previous studies have suggested that various types of dairy products may affect cardiometabolic risk factors differently. This study aimed to clarify the associations between dairy product consumption and cardiometabolic diseases in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This cross-sectional analysis included 783 participants with T2DM from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort study. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between dairy consumption and cardiometabolic risk factors, including overweight/obesity , dyslipidemia , hypertension , and metabolic syndrome , while adjusting for potential confounders. The odds of overweight/obesity in patients with T2DM consuming total dairy products in the highest tertile compared to the lowest tertile were 0.42 (95% CI: 0.19–0.92, p = 0.03). Consumption of dough (a traditional beverage made from yogurt, water, and salt) was associated with increased odds of hypertension (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.03–2.49, p = 0.04) and decreased odds of overweight/obesity (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16–0.84, p = 0.01). However, the p-trend was not statistically significant. No significant associations were found between yogurt, milk, cheese, or cream cheese and cardiovascular risk factors. Although some dairy products may have beneficial effects on cardiometabolic parameters, further cohort studies are necessary to establish a causal relationship between specific dairy products and cardiometabolic risk factors. Not applicable.