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Burden of disease attributable to high body mass index: an analysis of data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

  • Xiao Dong Zhou
  • , Qin Fen Chen
  • , Wah Yang
  • , Mauricio Zuluaga
  • , Giovanni Targher
  • , Christopher D. Byrne
  • , Luca Valenti
  • , Fei Luo
  • , Christos S. Katsouras
  • , Omar Thaher
  • , Anoop Misra
  • , Karim Ataya
  • , Rodolfo J. Oviedo
  • , Alice Pik-Shan Kong
  • , Khalid Alswat
  • , Amedeo Lonardo
  • , Yu Jun Wong
  • , Adam Abu-Abeid
  • , Hazem Al Momani
  • , Arshad Ali
  • Gabriel Alejandro Molina, Olivia Szepietowski, Nozim Adxamovich Jumaev, Mehmet Celal Kızılkaya, Octavio Viveiros, Carlos Jesus Toro-Huamanchumo, Kenneth Yuh Yen Kok, Oral Ospanov, Syed Imran Abbas, Andrew Gerard Robertson, Yasser Fouad, Christos S. Mantzoros, Huijie Zhang, Nahum Méndez-Sánchez, Silvia Sookoian, Wah Kheong Chan, Sombat Treeprasertsuk, Leon Adams, Ponsiano Ocama, John D. Ryan, Nilanka Perera, Ala I. Sharara, Said A. Al-Busafi, Christopher Kenneth Opio, Manuel Garcia, Michelle Ching Lim-Loo, Elena Ruiz-Úcar, Arun Prasad, Anna Casajoana, Tamer N. Abdelbaki, Ming Hua Zheng*
*Corresponding author for this work
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University
  • The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University
  • Universidad Del Valle
  • University of Verona
  • IRCCS Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria
  • University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
  • Universita degli Studi di Milano
  • Critical Care and Emergency‚ Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico
  • Central South University
  • University of Ioannina
  • Ruhr University Bochum
  • National Diabetes Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation and Diabetes Foundation
  • University of Montreal
  • Nacogdoches Medical Center
  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • King Saud University
  • University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
  • Changi General Hospital
  • University of Alberta
  • Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
  • Royal NMC Hospital
  • Fatima8h hospital
  • Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Tashkent State Medical University
  • Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar Universitesi
  • Hospital Lusiadas Amadora
  • Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola
  • OBEMET Center for Obesity and Metabolic Health
  • Edith Cowan University
  • Universiti Brunei Darussalam
  • Astana Medical University
  • Iranian Hospital Dubai
  • Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
  • Minia University
  • Harvard University
  • Southern Medical University
  • Fundación Clínica Médica Sur
  • Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
  • Universidad Maimónides
  • Universiti Malaya
  • Chulalongkorn University
  • Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
  • University of Western Australia
  • Makerere University
  • Beaumont Hospital
  • University of Sri Jayewardenepura
  • American University of Beirut
  • Sultan Qaboos University
  • Aga Khan University
  • Tu Opcion Bariatrica/Swiss Hospital
  • Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center
  • Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada
  • Apollo Hospitals Group
  • Hospital del Mar
  • Faculty of Medicine
  • Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment for the Development of Chronic Liver Disease in Zhejiang Province

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

174 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Obesity represents a major global health challenge with important clinical implications. Despite its recognized importance, the global disease burden attributable to high body mass index (BMI) remains less well understood. Methods: We systematically analyzed global deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to high BMI using the methodology and analytical approaches of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. High BMI was defined as a BMI over 25 kg/m2 for individuals aged ≥20 years. The Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) was used as a composite measure to assess the level of socio-economic development across different regions. Subgroup analyses considered age, sex, year, geographical location, and SDI. Findings: From 1990 to 2021, the global deaths and DALYs attributable to high BMI increased more than 2.5-fold for females and males. However, the age-standardized death rates remained stable for females and increased by 15.0% for males. Similarly, the age-standardized DALY rates increased by 21.7% for females and 31.2% for males. In 2021, the six leading causes of high BMI-attributable DALYs were diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, chronic kidney disease, low back pain and stroke. From 1990 to 2021, low-middle SDI countries exhibited the highest annual percentage changes in age-standardized DALY rates, whereas high SDI countries showed the lowest. Interpretation: The worldwide health burden attributable to high BMI has grown significantly between 1990 and 2021. The increasing global rates of high BMI and the associated disease burden highlight the urgent need for regular surveillance and monitoring of BMI. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China and National Key R&D Program of China.

Original languageEnglish
Article number102848
JournaleClinicalMedicine
Volume76
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2024

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • Body mass index
  • Global Burden of Disease Study
  • Metabolic risk
  • Obesity

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