A return to Nepal’s traditional lentil-and-rice diet could help tackle a growing type 2 diabetes crisis, researchers say. In Nepal, about one in five people over 40 has diabetes, while medication remains largely unaffordable and complications often lead to severe disability or early death. Doctors say western junk food, combined with lower activity levels, has driven the surge.
Pilot studies in Kathmandu and surrounding communities show promising results. Around half of participants achieved diabetes remission within four months after following a calorie-controlled traditional diet of yoghurt, fruit, and dal bhat. Average weight loss was modest, at just 4–5kg. The work is led by the University of Glasgow with Dhulikhel Hospital, Nepal, and aims to prove the diet can also prevent diabetes in high-risk people.
Professor Mike Lean said people of south Asian heritage develop diabetes at lower weights but also need to lose less to reverse it. The programme relies on cheap local foods, strict portion control, and community support rather than hospitals or drugs. Researchers argue the approach is more effective than medication and could work across south Asia, where processed foods now dominate diets once based on traditional staples.
