Metabolic Disorders Pose Growing Global Concern Among Women of Reproductive Age

Strategic Insights -

Metabolic disorders, particularly high body mass index (BMI) and high fasting plasma glucose, pose a significant threat to the health of women of reproductive age worldwide. A recent study published in BMC Women's Health analyzed the global burden of metabolic risk-attributable diseases among women aged 15-49 years, using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study. The study highlighted the urgent need for tailored interventions to mitigate long-term metabolic morbidity and enhance maternal and intergenerational health outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

  • Metabolic disorders caused 30.3 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and 383,874 deaths among women aged 15-49 years in 2021, corresponding to age-standardized rates (ASRs) of 1556.2 and 19.7 per 100,000 population, respectively.
  • The diseases most associated with metabolic risks included cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and kidney disorders, with high BMI and high fasting glucose being the leading contributors.
  • The greatest disease impact was observed in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in low- and middle-SDI countries.
  • Frontier and inequality analyses revealed marked inefficiencies and persistent disparities in the management of metabolic disorders.
  • Decomposition analyses showed that population growth (75.0%) and aging (32.6%) were the main drivers of DALY increases.

Statistics:

  • 30.3 million DALYs and 383,874 deaths among women aged 15-49 years in 2021
  • Age-standardized rates (ASRs) of 1556.2 and 19.7 per 100,000 population, respectively
  • Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of +0.28% in DALYs and -0.25% in death rates

Sources:

  • Global burden, regional disparities, and decomposition analysis of metabolic risk-attributable diseases among women of reproductive age: GBD 2021. BMC Women's Health, 2025;25(1):474.
  • NewsRx. Studies from Fujian Cancer Hospital Provide New Data on Global Burden of Disease (Global burden, regional disparities, and decomposition analysis of metabolic risk-attributable diseases among women of reproductive age: GBD 2021). Health & Medicine Week. October 24, 2025; p 7154.