ENDO 2025 Conference Coverage

Rising Type 2 Diabetes Burden Tied to Alcohol Intake

Miranda Manier, BA

Key Highlights:

  • Alcohol-attributable diabetes prevalence rose from 0.015% in 1990 to 2.92% in 2021.
  • ASMR due to alcohol-related diabetes increased from 4.59 to 7.88 per 100,000 population.
  • DALYs rose from 4.45 million to 7.72 million from 1990 to 2021.
  • Forecasts project a 1.7% diabetes burden by 2031 without intervention.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing global health challenge, affecting over 537 million adults worldwide. While poor diet and lack of exercise are known contributors, the role of alcohol consumption in diabetes risk is often overlooked. Chronic alcohol use can lead to insulin resistance, obesity, and liver dysfunction, all of which heighten the likelihood of developing diabetes. Despite these metabolic effects, alcohol is rarely a focal point in diabetes prevention efforts. A new study examined long-term trends in alcohol-related diabetes burden, focusing on age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR), disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and future projections. This study was presented at the Endocrine Society’s ENDO 2025 conference in San Francisco, July 12-15, 2025.

The study analyzed Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data from 1990 to 2021, tracking diabetes cases attributed to alcohol consumption. Time-series forecasting models (ARIMA and Exponential Smoothing) were used to predict trends through 2031. A Pearson correlation analysis (r = 0.85, P < .001) assessed the relationship between alcohol intake and diabetes burden over time. A vector autoregression model evaluated the influence of alcohol taxation, obesity rates, and GDP per capita on diabetes prevalence.

The findings indicate a consistent rise in alcohol-related diabetes burden, with prevalence increasing from 0.015% in 1990 to 2.92% in 2021. Projections suggest this trend will continue, with alcohol-attributable diabetes burden expected to reach 1.7% by 2031 if no interventions are made. The ASMR due to alcohol-related diabetes increased from 4.59 in 1990 to 7.88 per 100,000 population in 2021, marking a 71.7% rise in diabetes-related deaths linked to alcohol consumption. Similarly, DALYs due to alcohol-related diabetes increased from 4.45 million in 1990 to 7.72 million in 2021, a 73.4% rise. Higher alcohol taxation was associated with lower diabetes rates, while rising obesity levels and economic growth contributed to an increasing diabetes burden.

“The evidence points to alcohol consumption as a significant but often underestimated factor driving type 2 diabetes rates, impacting both mortality and disability,” the authors concluded.

Reference:
Ali R, Dixit A, Augustine AJ, et al. Unraveling the link between alcohol use and type 2 diabetes mellitus: exploring epidemiological trends and future projections. Poster presented at: ENDO 2025; July 12-15, 2025; San Francisco, CA. Accessed June 27, 2025. https://www.endocrine.org/meetings-and-events/endo-2025