A study has found that high fasting plasma glucose is linked to the global burden of 13 non-communicable diseases. The study is part of a broader analysis of the global burden of disease, which also examines the impact of other risk factors such as high body mass index and overweight. The overall trend in global health appears to be shifting, with some reports indicating a decline in early deaths but an increase in preventable diseases and "deaths of despair" among certain populations.