After World Obesity Day, study warns metabolic diseases surging across Asia-Pacific | India News
New Delhi: A day after World Obesity Day, a new international study sounded a stark warning: metabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol are on the rise across the Asia-Pacific region, leaving countries like India the worst hit.The research is published in the journal MetabolismData from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study were analyzed to track the health impact of major metabolic disorders over three decades and forecast trends through 2030.The analysis shows that hypertension currently contributes to the largest disease burden in the region, accounting for approximately 138 million years of healthy life lost and more than 6.2 million deaths in 2023 alone.Obesity is emerging as another major driver. High body mass index was associated with about 55 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and about 1.3 million deaths in the Asia-Pacific region last year.At the same time, the diabetes epidemic continues to deepen. Researchers estimate that approximately 310 million people in the region are now living with type-2 diabetes, resulting in approximately 49 million years of healthy life lost and more than 1.1 million deaths.India bears one of the largest shares of this burden, along with China and Indonesia, reflecting the combined effects of large populations, urbanization, sedentary lifestyles and rising obesity.Co-author Dr Anup Mishra of Fortis Hospital said India carries the largest metabolic disease burden in the region. “Our analysis based on the latest GBD 2023 data shows that in 2023 alone, type-2 diabetes will account for more than 21 million disability-adjusted life years and about 5.8 lakh deaths in India,” he said.Dr. Misra points out that metabolic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and fatty liver disease are closely interrelated, largely driven by unhealthy diet and low physical activity. “These disorders can eventually lead to serious complications including heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, cirrhosis and various cancers,” he added.Studies show that the burden of this metabolic condition has increased sharply over the past three decades, increasing from 1.7 to nearly four-fold since 1990 in a variety of diseases.Scientists caution that metabolic disorders rarely occur in isolation. Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol frequently reinforce each other, significantly increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.The trend is unlikely to reverse anytime soon. Most metabolic risks are projected to continue to increase across the region at least until 2030, prompting experts to call for stronger prevention strategies focusing on healthy eating habits, increased physical activity and weight control.
