The Burden of Overweight and Obesity-Associated Gastrointestinal Cancers in Low and Lower-Middle-Income Countries: A Global Burden of Disease 2019 Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is associated with cancer, including gastrointestinal (GI). Data from low (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (MICs) are limited. METHODS: We utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 to determine the mortality from GI cancer risk of high body mass index (BMI) in these countries. RESULTS: Mortality rates of GI cancers from high BMI increased in LICs and lower MICs, while burdens decreased or remained stable in high and middle-income countries. DISCUSSION: The GI cancer-related burden from high BMI increased in LICs and lower MICs, necessitating a concerted effort to tackle the obesity pandemic.

Socio-economic association of alcohol use disorder and cardiovascular and alcohol-associated liver disease from 2010 to 2019.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: Alcohol use leads to disabilities and deaths worldwide. It not only harms the liver but also causes alcohol use disorder (AUD) and heart disease. Additionally, alcohol consumption contributes to health disparities among different socio-economic groups. METHODS: We estimated global and regional trends in the burden of AUD, liver disease, and cardiovascular disease from alcohol using the methodology of the Global Burden of Disease study. RESULTS: In 2019, the highest disability-adjusted life years rate per 100,000 population was due to AUD (207.31 [95% Uncertainty interval (UI) 163.71-261.66]), followed by alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) (133.31 [95% UI 112.68-156.17]). The prevalence rate decreased for AUD (APC [annual percentage change] -0.38%) and alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy (APC -1.85%) but increased for ALD (APC 0.44%) and liver cancer (APC 0.53%). Although the mortality rate for liver cancer from alcohol increased (APC 0.30%), mortality rates from other diseases decreased. Between 2010 and 2019, the burden of alcohol-associated complications increased in countries with low and low-middle sociodemographic index (SDI), contributing more significantly to the global burden. CONCLUSION: The global burden of AUD, liver, and cardiovascular disease has been high and increasing over the past decade, particularly for liver complications. Lower SDI countries are contributing more to this global burden. There is a pressing need for effective strategies to address this escalating burden.

The Global Burden of Early-Onset Pancreatic Cancer and Its Risk Factors: A Perspective From Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

OBJECTIVES: Despite evidence of increased incidence of early-onset pancreatic cancer (EOPC), defined as pancreatic cancer diagnosed in patients below 50 years old, and its risk factors in the Western region, global epidemiological data addressing this issue is still lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, we aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with EOPC and its risk factors, including smoking, obesity, and diabetes. The analysis examined the annual percentage change (APC) over the period. RESULTS: In 2019, the incidence of EOPC surpassed 35,000 cases worldwide. This burden of EOPC tends to be more prevalent in males, as well as in Europe and high SDI countries. However, there is a noticeable upward trend in the burden of EOPC in the Eastern Mediterranean. While there is a global decline in EOPC mortality attributed to smoking (APC -0.33%), there is a concerning increase in mortality associated with diabetes (APC +2.84%) and obesity (APC +2.12%). CONCLUSIONS: The burden of EOPC has been increasing. The mortality is rising mainly from metabolic factors. There is an urgent need for national policy development for reducing the burden of this disease.

From Shadows to Spotlight: Exploring the Escalating Burden of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease and Alcohol Use Disorder in Young Women.

INTRODUCTION: The burden of alcohol-related complications is considerable, particularly alcohol-associated liver disease and alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, there are deficiencies in comprehensive epidemiological research focusing on these issues, especially among young women who display higher susceptibility to such complications compared with their male counterparts. We thus aimed to determine the global burden of these conditions in this vulnerable group. METHODS: Leveraging data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, we analyzed the prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years of alcohol-associated cirrhosis (AC), liver cancer from alcohol, and AUD in young women. The findings were categorized by region, nation, and sociodemographic index. RESULTS: The highest age-standardized prevalence rates were observed in AUD (895.96 [95% uncertainty interval (UI) 722.6-1,103.58]), followed by AC (65.33 [95% UI 48.37-86.49]) and liver cancer from alcohol (0.13 [95% UI 0.09-0.19]) per 100,000 people. The highest age-standardized mortality rates were observed in AC (0.75 [95% UI 0.55-0.97]), followed by AUD (0.48 [95% UI 0.43-0.53]) and liver cancer from alcohol (0.06 [95% UI 0.04-0.09]). The highest burdens of AC and AUD were observed in Central Europe, whereas the high-income Asia Pacific had the highest burden of liver cancer from alcohol. DISCUSSION: Throughout the past decade, the trend of AUD varied among regions while the impact of alcohol-associated liver disease has increased, requiring urgent public health strategy to mitigate these complications, particularly in female patients in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

The silent burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in the elderly: A global burden of disease analysis.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a significant health threat worldwide. The growing trend towards an aging population, along with an alarming rise in obesity and diabetes, may have significant implications for the burden of NAFLD. AIM: To assess the impact of NAFLD on the elderly. METHODS: We utilised data from the Global Burden of Disease study between 2010 and 2019 to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with NAFLD in the elderly (65-89 years), stratified by region, nation, sociodemographic Index and sex. RESULTS: Globally, there were an estimated 228 million cases, 87,230 deaths and 1.46 million DALYs attributed to NAFLD in the elderly. Geographically, the Western Pacific region had the highest burden of NAFLD in the elderly. From 2010 to 2019, there was an increasing prevalence rate in all areas, with the most pronounced change observed in the Western Pacific region (annual percentage change (APC) +0.95%, p < 0.001). Over the study period, there was a more rapid increase in NAFLD prevalence in men (APC +0.74%, p < 0.001) than in women (APC +0.63%, p < 0.001). In most regions, death and DALYs rates have declined, with the exception of the Americas, where there was a slight increase (APC +0.25%, p = 0.002 and 0.38%, p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Over the past decade, the burden of NAFLD in the elderly has been increasing, necessitating immediate and inclusive measures to tackle the rising burden.