Aims: Meta-analyses on the association between white rice intake and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) have been inconsistent. Since the last meta-analysis, more studies have been published with inconsistent results. We aimed to examine the rice-T2D association in Asian populations in an updated meta-analysis.
Methods: We systematically searched the Medline and Embase databases between January 2012 (the date of the first meta-analysis) and December 2020 for prospective studies examining T2D risk and baseline rice intake. Random-effects models were applied to pool relative risks (RRs). Meta regression analyses were used to evaluate the influence of sex.
Results: Six articles with eleven comparisons in Asian countries were included in the current meta-analysis. A total of 12,395 incident T2D cases were ascertained from 256,818 participants. The pooled RR was 1.25 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-1.33) comparing extreme categories of rice intake with higher heterogeneity (I2 = 88%, P < 0.0001). When stratified by sex, the RR was 1.58 (1.26-1.99) among women and 1.30 (0.85-1.98) among men (P-interaction = 0.42).
Conclusions: A positive association between rice intake and incident T2D in Asian populations was found, especially among women.
Keywords: Diabetes Mellitus; Epidemiology; Meta-Analysis; Oryza; Prospective Studies; Type 2.
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