White rice consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes

[Chemar]

White rice consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis and systematic review
BMJ 2012; 344 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e1454 (Published 15 March 2012)
Cite this as: BMJ 2012;344:e1454
Conclusion Higher consumption of white rice is associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes, especially in Asian (Chinese and Japanese) populations.

for more please go to
http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1454

[Lara]

Thanks for posting the full article. That's very interesting research.

When I read the conclusion that you posted, I thought to myself "why"? Asian populations have been eating rice forever, but I guess they weren't eating over-refined or processed white rice as they do now. Actually many Australians eat a lot of rice too, but the generation before mine did not. I eat brown rice and basmati rice. Occasionally jasmine rice. Oh yes, sushi rice. (added later- which is basically short grain white rice I guess). Gosh, maybe I caused my daughter's insulin resistance.

I was under the assumption that basmati rice was better for us than white rice, but I don't know anymore. Maybe someone reading this will know???

There were several points in the research that I found stood out for me.

Among Asian populations, which consume white rice as a staple food, white rice is the predominant contributor to dietary glycaemic load. For example, in women living in Shanghai, white rice accounted for 73.9% of dietary glycaemic load7; in Japanese women, white rice explained 58.5% of dietary glycaemic load.25 In a meta-analysis that pooled data from cohort studies primarily done in Western populations, dietary glycaemic load was consistently associated with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.26

Compared with minimally processed whole grains such as brown rice, white rice has a lower content of many nutrients including insoluble fibre, magnesium, vitamins, lignans, phytoestrogens, and phytic acid, which are lost during the refining process.31

Thus, a high consumption of white rice may lead to increased risk of diabetes because of the low intake of beneficial nutrients, in addition to its higher glycaemic load. Meanwhile, more data are needed to shed light on whether the interaction by ethnicity is due simply to substantially different white rice intake levels or to other mechanisms.

The recent transition in nutrition characterised by dramatically decreased physical activity levels and much improved security and variety of food has led to increased prevalence of obesity and insulin resistance in Asian countries

[veggienft]

Originally Posted by Chemar

for more please go to
http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e1454

But type 2 diabetes is not characterized by glycemic load. It is characterized by insulin resistance. Reducing intake of sugars, such as the amylose in rice, reduces the accumulation of blood glucose, but it does not reduce the insulin resistance which causes the buildup of blood glucose. Insulin resistance is more tied to carbohydrates like wheat which introduce dangerous opioid proteins.

Glycemic load is merely the study author's opinion of a marker. Reducing rice would reduce glycemic load, but would do nothing about insulin resistance.

....meaning rice in moderation is a lot healthier than 99% of alternative carbohydrates.