Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This research aims to analyze the global, regional, and national burden of LE-PAD from 1990 to 2021 through the GBD 2021 database. We also assess the impact of dietary risk factors and use decomposition and frontier analyses to identify key drivers and disparities in disease burden. METHODS: We used data from the GBD 2021 study (covering 204 countries and territories) to analyze LE-PAD-related prevalence, incidence, mortality, and DALYs, and conducted trend analysis and projections via joinpoint regression and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models. Decomposition analysis evaluated the contributions of population growth, aging, and epidemiological changes, and frontier analysis identified countries with high LE-PAD rates relative to their SDI. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2021, global LE-PAD prevalence and incidence rose significantly. Females had higher prevalence, and males under 75 had higher mortality. Dietary risk factors like high processed meat and low whole-grain intake were major contributors. Population growth drove the increased burden, somewhat mitigated by epidemiological changes. Frontier analysis showed country disparities, with some high-income countries having relatively high LE-PAD burden. CONCLUSION: The growing burden of LE-PAD demands targeted interventions, better healthcare infrastructure, and sustained research. Addressing modifiable risk factors, promoting healthy lifestyles, and conducting effective public health campaigns and education are crucial to reduce its impact.