Traditional food could help reverse Nepal’s ‘diabetes epidemic’, studies suggest

A serving of dal bhat, a traditional Nepali dish made with rice and lentils. Photograph: Photograph By Dorisj/Getty Images

A return to the traditional lentil and rice dishes that have nourished generations of Nepalis could save them from a diabetes epidemic prompted by the influx of western junk foods, doctors have said.

In a country where one in five of those over 40 has type 2 diabetes, the foods enjoyed by their grandparents have showed remarkable results in reversing the condition.