Global, regional, and national burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus attributable to high alcohol drinking from 1990 to 2021: An analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

The global burden of diabetes-related mortality has been rising over the past few decades, understanding the trends across different regions, genders, and age groups, is critical for designing targeted public health interventions. We conducted a global analysis of diabetes-related mortality rates from 1990 to 2021, using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study. Mortality rates were stratified by gender, age, region, alcohol consumption and Socio-demographic Index (SDI). From 1990 to 2021, the mortality rate for type 2 diabetes patients experienced a rise in mortality rates. Particularly among males, younger populations in several regions had notably higher-than-expected mortality by age-specific analysis. Alcohol consumption was significantly associated with an increase in diabetes-related mortality across both genders, with a marked rise in alcohol-related deaths in middle SDI regions. In low-middle SDI regions, males aged 55 to 79 were particularly affected, whereas in high SDI regions, alcohol-related mortality remained more stable across age groups, with a notable increase in male aged 65 to 79. Diabetes-related mortality varies significantly by region, gender, age and alcohol consumption. We highlight the need for targeted public health strategies, particularly underscore the importance of region-specific interventions, to mitigate the rising global burden of diabetes-related mortality.