Global Life Expectancy Nears Pre‑Pandemic Levels as Chronic Diseases Dominate Mortality

The WHO’s Global Health Estimates indicate that global life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023, just 0.1 year below the 73.4 recorded in 2019 before the COVID‑19 pandemic. This rebound reflects the gradual restoration of mortality trends after the pandemic’s disruption. However, healthy life expectancy – the years lived in good health – rose more slowly, reaching 62.8 years in 2023, still 0.4 year below its 2019 level. The estimates draw on national vital registration systems and WHO technical programmes, providing a comprehensive picture of mortality and disability across regions and countries.

While people are living longer, the causes of death are shifting dramatically. Non‑communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for 74 % of global deaths in 2023, up from 58 % in 2000, and eight of the ten leading causes of death are NCDs. Ischaemic heart disease alone caused approximately 9.5 million deaths and 210 million years of healthy life lost. Dementia rose from the 19th to the fifth leading cause of death, with deaths tripling since 2000. Diabetes risk has risen sharply in South‑East Asia, and the age‑standardised loss of healthy life increased by about 20 % for depressive disorders and nearly 45 % for anxiety disorders between 2019 and 2023.

WHO officials stress that extending life expectancy must be matched by extending healthy years. The agency highlights the need for health systems to adapt to an ageing population with higher burdens of cardiovascular disease, dementia, diabetes and mental‑health disorders. The shift away from communicable diseases – now accounting for less than half of deaths in low‑income countries – marks a “global epidemiological transition” that requires new priorities, including chronic disease management, mental‑health services and preventive care. By tracking these trends, the WHO aims to give countries evidence for shaping policies that protect both the length and quality of life.