White rice linked to diabetes in new study

A review of four studies involving around 350,000 people found the more white rice people ate, the higher their chance of developing the condition seemed to be.

Experts from Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School looked at two studies in Asian people (Chinese and Japanese) and two in Western populations (the US and Australia).

Asian people tended to have a much higher white rice intake than those in the West, averaging three to four servings a day.

The results showed that Asian people have a higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, with those who ate the most rice at highest risk.

But even for Western populations with typically low intakes, the researchers said "relatively high white rice consumption may still modestly increase risk of diabetes".

hnews@herald.ie