Global life expectancy in 2023 has returned to pre-pandemic levels, reaching 76.3 years for women and 71.5 years for men, according to the long-term study 'Global Burden of Disease.'
Life expectancy, which measures the average age a baby born in a given year is expected to live, has increased by more than 20 years for both genders since 1950. However, significant disparities persist globally.
In high-income countries, life expectancy is about 83 years, compared to just 62 years in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Belgium, the average life expectancy in 2024 is 82.4 years, with women living 84.4 years and men 80.3 years, according to statistics agency Statbel.
The study highlighted a worrying rise in mortality rates among young people and young adults in North and South America. These increases are predominantly linked to suicide, drug use, and alcohol consumption.
COVID-19, which was the leading cause of death in 2021, has dropped to the twentieth position. Ischaemic heart disease is once again the top cause of death, followed by stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Other common causes of death include lung infections, neonatal conditions, Alzheimer’s disease, lung cancer, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.
Researchers found that half of the years of life lost due to illness could be prevented, as they are caused by 88 risk factors. The most significant risk factors include high blood pressure, air pollution, smoking, high blood sugar, low birth weight, preterm birth, obesity, and elevated LDL cholesterol.
The study is based on data from over 310,000 global databases.
