Is it true that few Asians suffer from osteoporosis?

The belief that the prevalence of osteoporosis is low among Asians is false. It was true for a long time that Asian populations had a small incidence of fractures. Since many people in these countries used to live in rural areas, factors such as increased exposure to the sun (a source of vitamin D) and higher physical activity levels (which influence bone density) likely explained this situation for the most part.

Milk products do not seem to be associated with type 2 diabetes

The link between type 2 diabetes and milk product consumption has been examined in a number of scientific studies. To date, scientific studies have indicated that an adequate intake of milk products may be associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, approximately 285 million people around the world have diabetes. In Canada, over 3 million people suffer from this disease.

Prevention: the role that milk products can play

A number of large-scale studies suggest that an adequate intake of milk products may protect against type 2 diabetes. This protective effect may be due to certain nutrients found in milk products, such as calcium and vitamin D.

For example, a study of over 300,000 participants revealed that people with the highest intake of milk products had a 14% lower risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes. It was also observed that the greater the milk product intake, the lower the risk of developing the disease.

Potential mechanisms

Milk product consumption seems to decrease the risk of developing metabolic syndrome or becoming overweight, two major risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

However, more studies are needed to examine the relationship between milk product consumption and diabetes in more detail.

Sources
^{Canadian Diabetes Association. The prevalence and costs of diabetes [On-line]. (Consulted May 13, 2013).
Tong X et al. Dairy consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis of cohort studies. Eur J Clin Nutr 2011;65(9):1027-31.}