Katharina Buczek
A recent study published in Cell Metabolism has found that rates of all metabolic diseases– including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease– are on the rise globally.
The study, conducted by researchers at the National University of Singapore, as well as colleagues in the US and China, analyzed two decades of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) reports to understand the trends and burden of metabolic diseases.
Previous studies using GBD data have centered around the increasing number of deaths, as well as disability-adjusted life years, in relation to individual diseases.
However, within this study, the researchers sought to provide insight into the trends and burden of metabolic diseases since they are so closely related.
The GBD data is collected and analyzed by over 9,000 researchers from 162 countries and territories. The reports captured premature death and disability from 370 diseases and injuries, by age and gender, in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to the present.
So, the data essentially provides a comprehensive look at what kills or disables people across countries, ages, gender, and time.
Using this information, the researchers compared GBD reports from 2000 to 2019. Afterward, the team found that rates of all metabolic diseases have increased– with the most significant increases in disease burden occurring in countries with higher average incomes, fertility rates, and educational attainment.
Although, it is crucial to note that an upward trend in metabolic diseases was seen globally.
Eastern Mediterranean regions had the highest mortality rate from metabolic diseases. This was followed by nations with lower income, fertility averages, and education.
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