Global burden of atrial fibrillation attributable to high body mass index from 1990 to 2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

To assess the global burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) attributable to high body mass index (BMI) from 1990 to 2021 and analyze its spatiotemporal distribution characteristics.

An observational study based on GBD 2021 data.

Data on AF burden due to high BMI were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. Estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to evaluate temporal trends in age-standardized rates of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) over 30 years.

In 2021, high BMI-related AF caused 27,000 deaths and 725,000 DALYs globally, a 376% increase since 1990. Females and the elderly (aged 70+) bore a higher burden. Upper-middle-income regions surpassed high-income regions in AF burden. Australasia had the highest age-standardized rates, while High-income Asia Pacific and South Asia had the lowest. South Asia showed rapid growth in age-standardized death rates.

The global burden of high BMI-related AF varies across regions and time, threatening global health, especially for females and the elderly. Targeted strategies are needed to reduce AF and obesity.