Summary
This prospective cohort study of 64,227 Chinese women followed over 4.6 years examined associations between dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, and type 2 diabetes incidence. High intake of carbohydrates and rice—the primary carbohydrate source in this population—were associated with elevated diabetes risk, with relative risks of 1.28 and 1.78 respectively comparing highest to lowest quintiles of intake. Glycemic index and glycemic load also showed dose–response associations with diabetes risk, suggesting that carbohydrate quality and quantity both influence diabetes development in carbohydrate-dependent dietary patterns.
Regional applicability
This study is based on Chinese dietary patterns, where rice is the dominant carbohydrate source, which differs substantially from United Kingdom food consumption patterns. However, the findings on glycemic index and glycemic load may inform UK dietary guidance for diabetes prevention, particularly for high-risk populations or those with high refined carbohydrate intake, though direct application requires consideration of local food systems and baseline carbohydrate composition of typical UK diets.
Key measures
Dietary carbohydrate intake (quintiles), glycemic index (quintiles), glycemic load (quintiles), rice consumption (quintiles), relative risk with 95% confidence intervals, multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models
Outcomes reported
The study measured incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus over 4.6 years of follow-up in relation to dietary carbohydrate intake, glycemic index, and glycemic load. A total of 1,608 incident diabetes cases were identified from the cohort of 64,227 Chinese women.
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