India, Aug. 7 -- A study published in The BMJ links potato consumption - especially fried potatoes - to a higher likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Boiled and baked potatoes pose a lower risk than fried, but substituting the vegetable with whole grains further reduces the risk of T2D. White rice, however, is associated with greater risks of T2D.

The findings are of particular interest for India and should prompt a course correction, given the country is grappling with high T2D incidence - as per the International Diabetes Federation, China, India, and the US make up the top three countries for the highest number of diabetics and are projected to remain so till 2045. Potato's ubiquity across regional cuisines in India and the...