Is there any association between rice consumption and some of the cardiovascular diseases risk factors? A systematic review

BACKGROUND: White rice is considered as a staple food in most population in the world, and there may be an association between rice intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks. The present article was reviewed the correlation between rice intake and CVD and some of its risk factors. METHODS: We searched in PubMed, Google scholar, and SCOPUS to February 2015 by using several keywords such as low and high density lipoprotein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, CVD or risks, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, lipid profile, and refined grains or rice and white rice. Finally, 14 studies were included in our systematic review. RESULTS: There was found a positive association between white rice intake and risk factors of CVD including metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, it seems that there is no any significant correlation between white rice consumption and incidence of CVD and its mortality. CONCLUSION: Finding from available data suggested the important roles of higher white rice consumption on CVD risk factors.