Life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023, just below the 73.4 years recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted decades of progress. “Living longer is one of the great achievements of public health,” WHO Department of Data, Digital Health, Analytics and AI Director Dr Alain Labrique said.
The WHO Global Health Estimates examine death and disability trends by country and region between 2000 and 2023.
Healthy life expectancy, which measures the number of years people live in good health, recovered more slowly. The figure reached 62.8 years in 2023, remaining 0.4 years below the 2019 level. “The next challenge is to ensure that those additional years are lived in good health, while health systems are equipped to respond to the changing needs of populations,” Labrique said.
The data also showed a significant change in the diseases causing deaths worldwide.
Communicable diseases accounted for less than half of all deaths in low-income countries for the first time in 2023.
Noncommunicable diseases caused 74% of global deaths, up from 58% in 2000. Eight of the world’s 10 leading causes of death were noncommunicable conditions.
Cardiovascular diseases remained the leading cause of death and illness. Ischaemic heart disease caused approximately 9.5 million deaths in 2023 and resulted in the loss of 210 million years of healthy life.
Dementia rose from the 19th leading cause of death in 2000 to fifth place in 2023. Deaths linked to the condition tripled over the period.
The risk of dying from diabetes also increased substantially, particularly in Southeast Asia.
Mental health conditions placed growing pressure on health systems. Between 2019 and 2023, the age-standardised rate of healthy life lost increased by about 20% for depressive disorders and almost 45% for anxiety disorders.
Drug-use disorders produced the largest increases in deaths and healthy life lost in the Americas between 2000 and 2023. The Western Pacific recorded substantial declines. “The value of these estimates is not only in the numbers themselves,” Labrique said.
“By showing how causes of death and disease burden are changing over time and across populations, they give countries evidence to help shape health policies and priorities.”
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
