Global, regional, and national burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus attributable to particulate matter pollution from 1990 to 2021: An analysis of the global burden of disease study 2021

Aims: The study uses GBD 2021 data to measure the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) burden linked to particulate matter pollution (PM_2.5) exposure, highlighting environmental factors as rising contributors to the disease.

Methods: We used advanced methods like Joinpoint regression and decomposition analysis to track PM2.5 exposure's effects on T2DM, analyzing its burden by Socio-demographic indices (SDI) to find high-risk areas for targeted interventions.

Results: In 2021, the global burden of T2DM attributable to PM_2.5 exposure reached 12,904,493 DALYs, a substantial increase from 1990. The age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) and age-standardized death rates (ASDR) showed an upward trend, with males exhibiting a higher disease burden than females. The burden was highest in lower SDI quintiles, with faster growth rates in ASDR and ASMR compared to higher SDI regions. The population attributable fractions (PAFs) for ASDR and ASMR due to PM_2.5 were 17.07 % and 17.47 %, respectively, with higher PAFs in lower SDI regions.

Conclusion: Our results show that air pollution significantly affects global T2DM rates, necessitating policies to lower PM2.5 and boost health system resilience. Ongoing monitoring and research are key to crafting strategies against pollution's health effects.