Global Average Life Expectancy Reached 73.3 Years in 2023
According to World Health Organization data, average life expectancy is approaching pre-pandemic levels, while the majority of deaths stemmed from non-communicable diseases.
According to the World Health Statistics report published by the World Health Organization, the global average life expectancy rose to 73.3 years in 2023, approaching pre-pandemic levels.
Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels
The World Health Organization announced in its published World Health Statistics report that the global average life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023.
This rate represents a significant recovery, coming very close to the 73.4-year level recorded in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Healthy Life Expectancy
The report emphasized that the global health environment continues to improve and people generally enjoy a longer lifespan.
It was stated that healthy life expectancy reached 62.8 years in 2023, though this figure still remains 0.4 years below the 2019 level.
The Share of Non-Communicable Diseases
The report drew special attention to the fact that the share of non-communicable diseases in total deaths is steadily increasing, emphasizing the importance of this situation.
It was noted that health issues such as diabetes, dementia, mental health problems, and substance use disorders increase the disease burden.
Changes in Causes of Death
While 58 percent of global deaths stemmed from non-communicable diseases in the year 2000, this rate rose to 74 percent in 2023.
Additionally, it was reported that nearly 8 of the world's top 10 leading causes of death in 2023 consisted of non-communicable diseases.
Situation in Low-Income Countries
As part of the transformation worldwide, it was reported that for the first time in low-income countries, communicable diseases accounted for less than half of all deaths.
Future Health Goals
Alain Labrique, Director of the WHO Department of Data, Digital Health, Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence, stated that living longer is the greatest success in public health.
Labrique conveyed that the next main challenge is to ensure that these additional years gained are spent in good health and to equip health systems accordingly.