Global burden of ischemic heart disease attributable to dietary risks in young adults, 1990–2021: trends and future projections

Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is imposing a growing global burden on young adults, for whom dietary factors are a prominent and feasible preventive target. This study investigated the global burden and trends of IHD attributable to dietary risks among young adults from 1990 to 2021, with projections to 2031. Methods: Data for this study, sourced from Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021, comprehensively analyzed the burden of ischemic heart disease (IHD) due to dietary factors in young adults. Temporal trends were evaluated using estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs), while future trends were projected using an Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model. Results: Globally in 2021, the dietary-related IHD mortality and DALYs rates among young adults were 9.48 (95% UI: -1.54 to 13.41) and 465.57 (95% UI: -78.20 to 658.72) respectively, with males bearing a heavier burden than females. From 1990 to 2021, both mortality and DALYs rates demonstrated consistent declines. The low-middle SDI region and Eastern Europe exhibited the highest IHD burden among the five SDI regions and 21 GBD regions, respectively. Diet low in whole grains was identified as the leading dietary risk factor for IHD burden, whereas high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages remained the only dietary risk factor demonstrating an upward trend. Projections suggest that by 2031, the global dietary-related IHD mortality rate among young adults will decrease by 4.58%, while the DALYs rate is expected to increase by 0.34%. Conclusion: This finding underscores the critical need for targeted dietary interventions aimed at reducing IHD risk, particularly among young adults on a global scale.