PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The makers of the creamy, flavored and sometimes sweet concoction that many eat for breakfast can add a new claim to the labels of their products.

The FDA, in a letter dated March 1, said it would not object to statements that read “eating yogurt regularly may reduce the risk of type two diabetes.”

A Norfolk doctor said this statement is similar to the cholesterol health claims printed on cereal boxes. He said yogurt is a healthy choice, but with this simple, two-word caveat: no sugar.

“[Sweetened yogurt], that’s not going to help your diabetes one iota,” said Dr. James Newby said, “but if you get the flavor type that has no sugar, then that’s the one that’s going to lend itself to a healthy diet that affects diabetes positively. That’s one of the attributes yogurt has — good probiotics.

He said if you swap out yogurt for a sausage biscuit, or pancakes with syrup, then that’s what they mean. The yogurt itself, he said, doesn’t necessarily have special property to improve one’s diabetes, but it’s just part of a healthy diet that he presumes the yogurt industry wanted to use in its advertising.

“I guess they hammered the FDA so much because I saw this issue in 2018,” Newby said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some 38 million Americans have the disease and more than eight million Americans have the condition but have not been diagnosed. A disproportionate number of African-Americans and Latinos have the life-threatening disease.

“The most common effects [of the disease] are heart disease and strokes,” Newby said. “Those are the two main areas that diabetes affects. It can also lead to kidney failure and it can lead to blindness.”

Dr. James Newby and his wife, Dr. Olivia Newby operate the Healthy Living Center at their practice near the campus of Norfolk State University. The program, which is covered by insurance and grants, offers hands-on nutrition classes for those with chronic illnesses.