Associations of different cheese types with type 2 diabetes and glycemic biomarkers: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2003–2006 data

Vollständiger Abstract

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Background Despite potential effects of cheese and low-fat dairy products, including cottage cheese, on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), evidence on high- and low-fat cheese consumption by fat content and type and its association with T2DM remains limited. Aim In this study, we explored associations between low- and high-fat fresh cheese consumption, including cottage and cream cheese, with T2DM and related biomarkers. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 2331 participants from the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and examined cheese intake (assessed via a food frequency questionnaire) in relation to T2DM status and biomarkers (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c], fasting glucose, insulin, and vitamin D) using multivariate regression models adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and dietary covariates. Summary Although associations between cheese consumption and T2DM prevalence were attenuated after adjustment for dietary variables, cream cheese consumption showed a nonlinear association with outcomes, whereas low-fat cheese, including cottage cheese, was not significantly associated with T2DM. Cheese consumption was associated with favorable glycemic biomarker profiles and higher vitamin D levels in the multivariate models. Low-fat cheese consumption, including cottage cheese, inversely correlated with HbA1c and directly with vitamin D levels, whereas cream cheese showed a nonlinear pattern across intake frequencies. These findings suggest that associations with glycemic outcomes may differ by cheese type rather than fat content alone. However, due to the cross-sectional design and qualitative dietary assessment, causality cannot be inferred. Further studies are needed to clarify these relationships.