Global Risk Factors for Disease Burden, 1990–2021

Global burden and strength of evidence for 88 risk factors in204 countries and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Lancet May 18, 2024

GBD 2021 Risk Factors Collaborators. Global burden and strength of evidence for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and 811 subnational locations, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet. 2024 May 18;403(10440):2162-2203. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00933-4. Erratum in: Lancet. 2024 Jul 20;404(10449):244. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01458-2. PMID: 38762324; PMCID: PMC11120204.

A paper from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

This extensive report from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 presents a comprehensive analysis of 88 risk factors and their impact on global health outcomes across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. The study employed a detailed methodology using a vast array of data to estimate the exposure levels and relative health risks associated with these factors. Findings highlight particulate matter pollution, high blood pressure, and smoking as leading contributors to global disease burden in 2021, with metabolic risks increasing significantly over the study period. The research also examines trends over time and variations in risk-attributable burden by age, sex, location, and socio-demographic index, offering valuable insights for public health policy and intervention prioritization, including a new method to assess the strength of evidence for risk-outcome relationships.

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