The burden of ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus attributable to diet high in sugar-sweetened beverages in China: An analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate the burden of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attributable to a diet high in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in China from 1990 to 2017. Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 were used to assess all-age and age-standardized, risk-attributable mortality, years of life lost (YLL), years of life with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) by age, sex, year, province, and sociodemographic index (SDI). For total noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), 12 523 (95% uncertainty interval 776-27 631) deaths, 305 288 (18 611-661 847) YLL, 142 051 (64 530-257 468) YLD, and 447 339 (132 677-858 838) DALYs were attributable to diet high in SSBs in 2017, particularly among males. Age-standardized, risk-attributable mortality, YLL, YLD, and DALY rates increased distinctly by 507.3%, 410.3%, 571.0%, and 453.3% from 1990 to 2017 respectively. Age-sex-specific, risk-attributable mortality and YLL rates for IHD in older adults (over 65 years) were higher than in young (between 25 and 39 years) and middle-aged adults (between 40 and 64 years) in 2017; however, the YLD and DALY rates for T2DM were higher in young and middle-aged males than in older males. The age-standardized, risk-attributable DALY rates for total NCDs increased substantially in high-SDI and high-middle-SDI provinces during the period. China has a huge and growing burden of IHD and T2DM attributable to diet high in SSBs, particularly among young and middle-aged male adults in wealthier provinces. Evidence-based public health policies at the provincial levels to reduce the consumption of SSBs should be prioritized in China.