Diabetes in China a "catastrophe"

The most comprehensive nationwide survey for diabetes ever conducted in China shows 11.6 percent of adults, or 114 million, has the disease. The finding, published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, adds 22 million diabetics, or the population of Australia, to a 2007 estimate and means almost one in three diabetes sufferers globally is in China.

Is it the China Diet?

China ‘Catastrophe’ Hits 114 Million as Diabetes Spreads
Bloomberg

Comments

[chuck]

seems that when rice is replaced with wheat it increases obesity. could this be increasing rates of diabetes also?

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/07/wheat-is-invading-china.html

[Dr. John]

Thanks for the observation that wheat consumption is increasing in China. However, according to the American Diabetes Association, the glycemic index (GI) of whole wheat bread is 56-69 and white bread 70 or more and the glycemic index of rice ranges is between 48 to 92 (average of 64) depending on the type of rice. If they are exchanging rice for whole wheat, the average GI is about the same. However, GI is only one component and I suspect the situation is more complex than that. Thanks for your comment.

http://www.csiro.au/Portals/Media/Study-reveals-good-news-about-the-GI-of-rice.aspx