Study warns of surge in metabolic diseases in Asia Pacific after World Obesity Day

New Delhi: A day after the world marks World Obesity Day, a new international study has issued a stark warning: Metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol are rising rapidly across the Asia-Pacific region, with countries like India among the worst affected.The research is published in the journal metabolismanalyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2023, tracked the health impact of key metabolic disorders over three decades and projected trends through 2030.The analysis shows that hypertension currently represents the largest disease burden in the region, resulting in 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. Last year, high body mass index was associated with approximately 55 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and approximately 1.3 million deaths in the Asia-Pacific region.Meanwhile, the diabetes epidemic continues to deepen. Researchers estimate that approximately 310 million people in the region currently have type 2 diabetes, resulting in approximately 49 million years of healthy life lost and more than 1.1 million deaths.India, China and Indonesia are among the countries with the largest share of this burden, reflecting the combined effects of large populations, urbanization, sedentary lifestyles and rising obesity rates.Co-author Dr. Anup Misra of Fortis Hospital said India has one of the highest metabolic disease burdens in the region. “Our analysis based on the latest GBD 2023 data shows that type 2 diabetes in India was responsible for more than 21 million DALYs and nearly 580,000 deaths in 2023 alone,” he said.Dr. Misra pointed out that metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, abnormal cholesterol and fatty liver are closely related and are largely caused by unhealthy diet and low physical activity. “These diseases can ultimately lead to serious complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, cirrhosis and many types of cancer,” he added.Studies show that the burden of these metabolic diseases has increased dramatically over the past three decades, with the burden of different diseases increasing by 1.7 to nearly four times since 1990.Scientists warn that metabolic disorders rarely occur alone. Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol often interact to significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.This trend is unlikely to reverse anytime soon. Most metabolic risks are expected to continue to rise in the region until at least 2030, prompting experts to call for stronger prevention strategies focused on healthier diets, increased physical activity and weight control.