Cohort studyindependent cross-checkabstract checked I-GRN-114 standard review

In Iran, very high white rice intake was linked to diabetes in one of two cohorts

White rice intake and incidence of type-2 diabetes: analysis of two prospective cohort studies from Iran.

Overview

Golozar A et al.. BMC Public Health 2017 · PMID 28137245 · DOI 10.1186/s12889-016-3999-4

Eating more than 250 g of white rice a day was linked to about twice the odds of diabetes in Tehran, but not in rural Golestan.

Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate

Study explained simply

What did the researchers want to find out?: Link white rice and diabetes in Iran.
How was the study done?: Two population cohorts.
How many people, animals or samples were studied?: 11,355 adults.
What was actually found?: Mixed results.
How large was the observed effect?: OR 2.1 in Tehran.
What do the results mean in everyday life?: Large daily rice portions may matter.
What are the study's limitations?: Few cases, inconsistent.
What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?: Limits the unrestricted rice allowance.
Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?: Low-moderate.
What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?: Cannot prove causation.

Authors: Golozar A et al.
Journal: BMC Public Health
Year: 2017
Identifier: PMID 28137245 DOI 10.1186/s12889-016-3999-4 · PMC5282785
Verification: verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-26; Crossref works API 2026-10-26
Retracted: no
Corrections: none
Extent checked: abstract only
Conflicts of interest and funding: WHO and NIH (NIDDK) grants

Is white rice intake associated with incident type 2 diabetes in Iran?

Study design: Cohort study – Two prospective population cohorts (Golestan, Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study)
Population: Adults without diabetes or chronic disease at baseline
Country: Iran
Period: Baselines 2004-2007
Sample size: 9182 (Golestan) + 2173 (TLGS)
Inclusion and exclusion criteria: Free of T2D and other chronic diseases

Results: 902 new T2D cases in Golestan and 81 in TLGS; cumulative incidence 9.9% and 8.0%. Median rice intake 250 g/day (Tehran) vs 120 g/day (Golestan). No significant association in Golestan; in TLGS >250 vs <250 g/day adjusted OR 2.1 (1.1-3.9).
Absolute risks: Cumulative T2D incidence 8.0-9.9% (overall)
Authors' conclusion: Increased likelihood of T2D with high white rice intake in Tehran and no association in Golestan.

OR 2.1 approximates RR 1.9 at 8% baseline risk (stats/C-GRN-05); wide CI and inconsistency.

Regional evidence that high (not moderate) white rice intake may raise T2D risk; null at lower intake.

Golestan null.

Low-moderate; higher rice intake than in Europe.

Mixed, regionally relevant.

Multidimensional assessment
Multidimensional assessment
Authenticity of the source	verified
Methodological quality	moderate
Risk of bias	some concerns
Precision of results	low
Directness	direct
Reproducibility	partly replicated
Consistency with the overall evidence	mixed
Regional transferability	high
Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive)	not applicable

Egyptian cohort data.