A return to traditional Nepali foods could help tackle the country’s growing type 2 diabetes crisis, researchers say. In Nepal, where one in five people over 40 has diabetes and medication is often unaffordable, doctors are testing whether simple diet changes can reverse the condition.
Studies in Kathmandu and surrounding communities show promising results. A pilot programme using a calorie-controlled traditional diet helped 43% of long-term diabetes patients into remission. An expanded trial has seen about half of participants free from diabetes after four months, with modest weight loss. The research is led by University of Glasgow in partnership with Dhulikhel hospital in Nepal.
The diet centres on local, low-cost foods such as lentils and rice, known as dal bhat, while avoiding processed western foods high in sugar and fat. Participants also receive portion-measuring tools and attend community support sessions. Experts say people of south Asian heritage develop diabetes at lower weights but can also reverse it with smaller weight losses.
Researchers blame the rise in diabetes on imported junk food and reduced physical activity. They hope the community-based approach can prevent diabetes as well as reverse it, offering a low-cost alternative to medication. If successful, the model could be applied across south Asia, where diabetes rates are climbing rapidly.
