Rice - another grain story

It’s increasingly clear that our underlying genetics are the major factor in determining our response to health challenges. A study recently published in the British Medical Journal demonstrated that a higher consumption of white rice is more likely to lead to diabetes in persons of Chinese and Japanese descent. A dose-response analysis showed that each serving per day of white rice consumption was associated with an 11% increase in risk of diabetes in the overall population. The association of increased intake of white rice and increased risk of diabetes is less robust in persons of Western descent.

Rice was first domesticated approximately 8000 to 9000 years ago by people living in the region of the Yangtze River valley in China. Rice is now grown worldwide and provides food for more than half of the world’s population, especially those living in some of the most populous countries, such as China, India, and Japan. White rice is the predominant type of rice consumed worldwide and has a higher glycemic index than whole grains. Additionally, white rice is lower in many beneficial nutrients (insoluble fiber, magnesium and others) that have been associated with lower risk of diabetes.

In much of the world, there is less hunger than there has been in the past. Physical activity has dramatically declined in the past few decades. A higher intake of calories combined with less exercise combined with a genetic predisposition is well known to be a recipe for diabetes. Now it appears that there are population specific triggers. If rice is a trigger for the Eastern patients, it would not be surprising to learn that it could be potatoes for the Eastern Europeans and pasta for the Southern Europeans.

To read more, here is the full article in the British Medical Journal.