Assessing the Protective Role of Cheese Consumption Against Type 2 Diabetes and Its Complications: A Mendelian Randomization Study

<b>Background:</b> Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major global health issue, with significant complications impacting patients' quality of life, including neuropathy, ophthalmic issues, nephropathy, and peripheral vascular complications. Although dietary factors influence T2DM risk, the specific impact of cheese consumption remains unclear. This study uses a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to investigate the causal relationship between cheese intake and T2DM, along with specific complications, including ophthalmic and peripheral vascular issues. <b>Methods:</b> Using summary-level data from large-scale genome-wide association studies, we applied a two-sample MR approach. Genetic variants associated with cheese consumption were selected as instrumental variables, following criteria for genome-wide significance, linkage disequilibrium checks, and exclusion of pleiotropic effects. Robustness was assessed through various MR methods, including inverse variance weighted (IVW) and MR-Egger. <b>Results:</b> The MR analysis found that increased cheese consumption was significantly associated with a reduced risk of T2DM (OR = 0.639, 95% CI: 0.482-0.847, and <i>p</i> value = 0.002) and its ophthalmic complications (OR = 0.386, 95% CI: 0.196-0.759, and <i>p</i> value = 0.015). No significant associations were found with other complications, including neuropathy, nephropathy, and peripheral vascular complications. Sensitivity analyses confirmed minimal heterogeneity and pleiotropy, supporting the reliability of these findings. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study suggests a protective role of cheese intake in reducing T2DM risk and its ophthalmic complications, potentially informing dietary recommendations for T2DM management.