Asians, especially those from East Asia, are known to have a genetic predisposition to poor insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells and their insulin secretion is prone to decline with β-cell exhaustion.1, 2 Asians have traditionally consumed white rice (WR) as a staple food that provides more than 30% of daily energy intake.3 High intake of WR is reported to be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome,4 and it has also been reported that this relation is stronger for Asians than Westerners.5 This evidence concerns the gene INS and type 2 diabetes mellitus.