Country-specific burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Caribbean, 1990–2023: Insights from the global burden of disease study

Aim:
To explore type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) burden, modifiable risk factors, and economic and health system indicators across Caribbean countries from 1990 to 2023.

Methods:
GBD 2023 data on prevalence, incidence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and mortality were analyzed and stratified by age and sex for 17 Caribbean countries. Joinpoint regression evaluated DALY trends. The proportion of T2DM DALYs attributable to high BMI, dietary risks, and physical inactivity was assessed, with economic and health indicators from the World Bank Open Data.

Results:
In 2023, nine of 17 countries had an age-standardized prevalence surpassing 10%. Trinidad and Tobago had the highest prevalence, age-standardized DALYs, and mortality. T2DM incidence among people aged 10–54 years increased substantially in both sexes. The Dominican Republic recorded the largest surge with a 148% rise among males aged 10–54 years. Females exhibited higher prevalence and DALYs, but average annual percent change in DALYs mostly decreased. High BMI was the leading contributor to T2DM burden, accounting for over 55% of DALYs in most countries.

Conclusion:
The T2DM burden continues to increase, driven primarily by high BMI, with rising incidence among younger populations. Differences in economic and healthcare indicators suggest that country-specific strategies are necessary to reduce the disease burden.