Researchers in Japan say that they have detected a probable way to prevent obesity, as the global rates of the condition are escalating in a concerning rise. The solution is to eat more rice. Academics of Doshisha women’s college of Liberal Arts in Kyoto analyzed, for the study, rice consumption in comparison to obesity rates in 136 countries with a population of more than one million.
The academics examined all kinds of rice products, including white rice, brown rice, and rice flour by utilizing information from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. The researchers took into account the other lifestyle and socioeconomic risk factors in the analyzed countries, which included education, gross domestic product per capita, smoking levels, total energy consumption, and health costs.
They discovered that obesity levels were lower in states with higher rice use, even after they calculated all the other risk factors. Tomoko Imai from Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts said in a press release that the Japanese food or an Asian-food-style diet based on rice could help in preventing obesity.
Diets Based on Rice Might Prevent Obesity, New Research Concluded
The study also implies that even moderate increase in the regular rice consumption could prevent the condition, for example, if every person would eat an additional 50 grams of rice per day, the worldwide obesity ranks could be lowered by 1%.
The World Health Organization says that there are about 650 million adults aged 18 or older who are obese. The number would drop to 643.5 million if the average rice intake would be increased with an extra quarter of a cup. Researchers suggest that rice may be healthy due to its low fat composition, and it’s rich starch resistance which is digested in the large intestine and has numerous health benefits, even low blood glucose levels after eating.
However, Imai warns that overeating rice has been linked with the development of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, a class of medical issues that can grow the risk of heart disease and stroke. The researcher said that an appropriate quantity of rice intake may prevent obesity. The discoveries and the results of the study have been presented to the European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow, Scotland this week.
Tommy’s hobby has always been playing video games. He enjoys competing in video games tournaments and writing about his experience. It’s not a big surprise that he mostly covers the latest trends from the gaming industry.