Study finds lifestyle choices and age leading to increase in poor health

A new global study published in The Lancet on Thursday revealed alarming statistics about the increasing number of people experiencing poor health and early death due to metabolism-related risk factors. According to the study, the number of individuals affected by high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high BMI has surged by 50% since 2000.

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 shed light on the health challenges posed by these risk factors and their impact on global populations. The rise in metabolic risk factors, such as high systolic blood pressure, high fasting plasma glucose, high body mass index, high LDL cholesterol, and kidney dysfunction, is attributed to the aging population and changing lifestyles worldwide, as per the researchers.

The study reported a 49.4% increase in the global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from 2000-2021, which represents the years of healthy life lost due to poor health and premature death caused by metabolic risk factors. In the age group of 15-49, high BMI and blood sugar were identified as significant risk factors, increasing the risk of diabetes. Additionally, high blood pressure and LDL cholesterol were among the top 10 risk factors for this age group.

Michael Brauer, affiliate professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), emphasized the role of lifestyle factors in the development of these risk factors, especially among younger generations. He highlighted the importance of targeting preventable non-communicable diseases through modifiable risk factors to improve global health outcomes through policy and education interventions.

The study also identified air pollution, smoking, low birth weight, and short gestation as major contributors to DALYs in 2021, with variations across different age groups, genders, and regions. While progress has been made in reducing the disease burden associated with maternal and child health risks, unsafe water, sanitation, and household air pollution, there is still a need for concerted efforts to address obesity and metabolic syndromes.

Emmanuela Gakidou, professor of Health Metrics Sciences at IHME, stressed the importance of global health policy efforts and exposure reduction to mitigate health risks and enhance population health. Greg Roth, director for the Programme in Cardiovascular Health Metrics at IHME, emphasized the urgent need for interventions focused on obesity and metabolic syndromes to combat the rising disease burden.

Despite the overall decrease in disease burden, the study highlighted persistent challenges related to child and maternal malnutrition risk factors in regions like sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania. Smoking’s disease burden showed a moderate increase due to population aging, while ambient air pollution, high BMI, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure saw substantial increases in disease burden.

Looking ahead, the study forecasts a significant increase in global life expectancy by 2050, driven by public health measures targeting cardiovascular diseases, Covid-19, and other health challenges. While more people are expected to live longer, the forecast also warns of an increase in years lived with disability, underscoring the importance of addressing preventable risk factors to improve overall population health.

In conclusion, the findings of the study underscore the urgent need for global health interventions to address the rising burden of metabolic risk factors and improve health outcomes worldwide. By targeting modifiable risk factors and implementing effective policies, there is an opportunity to alter the trajectory of global health and enhance healthy life expectancy for future generations.