Eating more yoghurt can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, researchers at Cambridge have found.

Published in the journal Diabetologia, the study showed that higher consumption of yoghurt can reduce the risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes by 28 percent, and that higher consumption of low-fat fermented dairy products, including all yoghurt varieties and some low-fat cheeses, also reduced the relative risk of diabetes by 24 percent overall.

The research was based on a large scale study, which compiled a daily record of all the food and drink consumed in the course of a week by 4,255 participants, including 753 who developed type 2 diabetes over 11 years.

Those with the highest consumption of low-fat fermented dairy products, such as yoghurt, fromage frais and low-fat cottage cheese, were 24 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over the 11 years, compared with non-consumers.

"This research highlights that specific foods may have an important role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes and are relevant for public health messages," said lead researcher Dr Nita Forouhi, adding foods like yoghurt and low-fat fermented dairy products could be good for our health.