Global, regional and national burden and trends of disease attributable to high body mass index in adolescents and young adults from 1990 to 2021.

Background: The burden of high high body mass index (BMI) in adolescent and young adults (AYA) is largely unknown. Therefore, we aim to assess this burden.

Methods: Data were extracted from GBD 2021. Age-standardized mortality, DALY rates (ASMR, ASDR) and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) were used to describe the burden. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the correlation between the sociodemographic index (SDI) and ASMR/ASDR.

Results: From 1990 to 2021, the death and DALY number attributable to high BMI in AYA had increased by 109 % and 141 % respectively. Low-middle SDI regions showed the most significant upward trend (EAPC = 1.37 for ASMR and 1.97 for ASDR). All diseases caused by high BMI showed a upward trend except for asthma and leukemia. ASMR of this burden was negatively correlated with the SDI (r = -0.13, p < 0.001), while the relationship between ASDR and SDI was opposite (r = 0.23, p < 0.001). The burden of osteoarthritis caused by high BMI (r = 0.68, p < 0.001), low back pain (r = 0.67, p < 0.001), gout (r = 0.62, p < 0.001) due to high BMI rose with SDI, which contributed to the severe DALY burden in high SDI regions.

Conclusions: The burden of high BMI is still rising in AYA. Targeted measures need to be taken in different regions.