Burden of diseases attributable to excess body weight in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019

To investigate the global, regional, and national burden of the diseases attributable to excess body weight (EBW) from 1990 to 2019, stratified by age, sex, underlying cause, and sociodemographic index (SDI).

Using the Comparative Risk Assessment approach of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019, the burden of diseases attributable to EBW was reported for the period from 1990 to 2019. For adults, EBW was defined as a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 25 kg/m², while for children aged 1 to 19 years, EBW was determined according to the standards set by the International Obesity Taskforce. The burden was reported in terms of numbers, proportions, and age-standardised rates per 100,000, accompanied by corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs).

In 2019, there were an estimated 5.0 million deaths (95% UI: 3.2-7.1) and 160.3 million DALYs (106.0-218.9) attributable to EBW worldwide. The age-standardised DALY rate attributable to EBW increased by 18.0% (2.2-42.3) from 1990 to 2019, with notable regional variations. Southeast Asia and South Asia exhibited the highest age-standardised DALY rates. Conversely, the age-standardised death rate due to EBW showed no significant change, with an increase of 4.9% (-7.3 to 24.6) over the same period. Significant regional variations were again observed, particularly in Southeast Asia and South Asia, which recorded the highest age-standardised death rates. Moreover, a non-linear association was observed between the SDI and the regional age-standardised DALY rate of diseases attributable to EBW.

The global burden of EBW has increased over the past three decades. This trend aligns with socio-demographic indices and is influenced by the physical activity levels and dietary habits of these populations.