Key result
Dietary risks drive higher cardiometabolic disease burden in North America than Western Europe through 2035.
Why the study?
Although ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and lower-extremity vascular disease are leading causes of disability in Western Europe and North America, their diet-attributable burden remains unclear.
How does the diet-attributable burden of vascular and metabolic diseases compare between Western Europe and North America, and how is it associated with the Socio-demographic Index?
Observational
Yes
How does the diet-attributable burden of vascular and metabolic diseases compare between Western Europe and North America, and how is it associated with the Socio-demographic Index?
This study highlights that North America faces a higher diet-attributable burden of vascular and metabolic diseases than Western Europe (projected through 2035), identifying processed meat and whole grains as key targets for public health dietary interventions.
Highlights diet-related vascular/metabolic burden disparities by SDI; leaves open targeted interventions pending prospective validation.
Summary: Ischemic heart disease (IHD), ischemic stroke (IS), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and lower-extremity vascular disease are leading causes of disability in Western Europe and North America, but their diet-attributable burden remains unclear. Using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 data, we assessed the association between the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and the vascular/metabolic disease burden and compared the cross-regional burden through multi-dimensional time-trend, risk contribution, and projection analyses. Mendelian randomization (MR) tested causal diet effects on disease subtypes. Frontier analysis showed diet-related IHD and IS burden declined with SDI, while T2DM increased. By 2023, Western Europe had a lower burden than North America. Processed meat and whole grain dominated T2DM and IHD burden, respectively. Joinpoint analysis revealed declining trends. Projections to 2035 indicated North America remains higher. MR identified several potential causal links. This study provides a basis for vascular/metabolic disease prevention policies and dietary interventions in Western Europe and North America.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Li et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and lower-extremity vascular disease. Dietary factors (including processed meat and whole grain) and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) vs. Cross-regional comparison (Western Europe vs. North America) was evaluated on Diet-attributable vascular and metabolic disease burden. Dietary risk factors drove higher vascular/metabolic disease burden in North America than Western Europe by 2023, with projections to 2035 remaining higher.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:
More from iScience