GENEVA: Global life expectancy has rebounded close to its pre-pandemic level, but the recovery has not translated into a full return of healthy years, according to the latest estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Global Health Estimates 2023, released on October 2, provide an updated picture of life expectancy, causes of death and disease burden across countries and regions from 2000 through 2023.
Global life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023, just below the 73.4 years recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
But healthy life expectancy — the number of years people can expect to live in good health — stood at 62.8 years in 2023, remaining 0.4 years below its 2019 level.
The figures point to a changing global health landscape in which gains in longevity are increasingly accompanied by a heavier burden from chronic diseases and other long-term health conditions.
Longer lives, but a different health burden
“Living longer is one of the great achievements of public health,” said Dr Alain Labrique, Director of WHO’s Department of Data, Digital Health, Analytics and AI.
The challenge, he said, is ensuring that the additional years of life are lived in good health while health systems adapt to changing population needs.
The latest estimates show just how substantially the global causes of death have shifted over the past two decades.
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for 74% of all deaths globally in 2023, compared with 58% in 2000. Eight of the world’s 10 leading causes of death were NCDs in 2023.
The shift is particularly notable in low-income countries, where communicable diseases accounted for less than half of all deaths for the first time in 2023.
Heart disease remains the biggest global threat
Cardiovascular diseases continue to account for the largest share of global deaths and disease burden.
Ischaemic heart disease caused about 9.5 million deaths and 210 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2023, according to WHO estimates.
Although many countries have made progress in reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease since 2000, the picture remains uneven.
WHO reported increases in individual cardiovascular risk in its Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions, highlighting persistent differences in health outcomes and risk factors between populations.
Diabetes risk is rising
Diabetes is another major contributor to the changing global health burden.
The risk of dying from diabetes has increased substantially since 2000, with particularly pronounced increases reported in the South-East Asia region.
The trend underscores the growing importance of prevention, early diagnosis and long-term management as populations age and chronic diseases account for an increasing share of deaths.
Dementia climbs sharply among leading causes of death
The global burden of dementia has also changed dramatically.
Alzheimer disease and other forms of dementia ranked as the fifth leading cause of death worldwide in 2023, up from 19th in 2000.
WHO estimates show that deaths from dementia tripled between 2000 and 2023.
The rise reflects the growing impact of conditions associated with ageing populations and adds further pressure to health and social-care systems as people live longer.
Mental health burden grows
The estimates also highlight a worsening global burden from some mental health conditions.
Between 2019 and 2023, the global age-standardized DALY rate increased by approximately 20% for depressive disorders and nearly 45% for anxiety disorders.
Together, depressive and anxiety disorders accounted for about 110 million years of healthy life lost through premature death or disability in 2023.
Drug use trends vary sharply by region
The burden associated with drug use disorders also differed significantly across WHO regions.
The Americas recorded the largest increases in the risk of death and loss of healthy life associated with drug use disorders, while the Western Pacific region recorded substantial declines.
The regional differences reinforce the importance of health policies that respond to changing patterns of disease and risk rather than relying on a single global approach.
Data will shape the next phase of global health
WHO said the latest estimates provide countries with evidence to help identify changing causes of death and disease burden and establish health policy priorities.
Dr Labrique stressed the importance of resilient essential digital and data infrastructure, together with stronger national and subnational capacity to analyse health information.
The ability to generate timely, actionable health data will become increasingly important as countries navigate ageing populations, chronic diseases, mental health challenges and changing patterns of health risk.
The latest figures therefore tell a story that goes beyond the headline recovery in life expectancy.
The world is once again approaching the longevity levels seen before the pandemic — but the number of years people live in good health has not fully caught up.
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