OBJECTIVE: To describe Brazilian national and regional trends in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence, incidence, burden, and exposure to T2DM risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We sourced the Global Burden of Diseases Study (GBD) 2021 to obtain estimates and trends of T2DM deaths, incidence, prevalence, Years of Life Lost (YLLs), Years Lived with Disability (YLDs), and Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALYs) in Brazil and its regions. We present crude and age-standardized metrics, as well as the exposure to T2DM risk factors between 1990 and 2021. RESULTS: The national age-standardized prevalence of T2DM increased by 37.4% (95% UI 32.7 to 42.6) and the incidence by 32.3% (95% UI 27.6 to 37.7) from 1990 to 2021. Age-standardized deaths by T2DM decreased by 18.0% (95% UI -21.4 to -15.3), and the accompanying YLLs by 22.8% (95% UI -25.8 to -20.2). YLDs increased by 35.4% (95% UI 29.1 to 41.3), while DALYs' rates reduced by 3.1% (95% UI -8.2 to 1.7) since 1990. The Northeast region showed higher age-standardized prevalence, incidence, YLLs, and YLDs in 2021, while the North region had the most pronounced increases. T2DM prevalence increased consistently, alongside rises in exposure to sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and high BMI. While smoking exposure declined in all regions, low physical activity and diets high in red and processed meat increased over time. CONCLUSION: T2DM burden in Brazil is growing due to the increasing exposure to T2DM risk factors. Greater emphasis on prevention and public policies focusing on reducing risk factors and inequalities can reduce T2DM burden in Brazil.
Teixeira et al. (Tue,) studied this question.