Geneva: Global life expectancy has recovered to almost its pre-pandemic level, but a major shift in the world’s disease burden is creating new challenges for health systems, according to the latest global health estimates.

The new figures show that average global life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023, compared with 73.4 years in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health systems and caused a significant decline in longevity. However, the recovery in the number of years people can expect to live in good health has been slower. Healthy life expectancy stood at 62.8 years in 2023, remaining 0.4 years below the 2019 level.

The data covering the period from 2000 to 2023 indicate that the global health landscape is changing significantly. While improvements have been achieved in several areas of infectious disease control and overall survival, chronic and noncommunicable diseases are becoming an increasingly dominant cause of death.

Chronic Diseases Account for Most Global Deaths

One of the most significant findings is the growing contribution of noncommunicable diseases, commonly known as NCDs. These include cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, dementia and other chronic conditions.

NCDs accounted for 74% of deaths worldwide in 2023, compared with 58% in 2000. Eight of the world’s ten leading causes of death were noncommunicable diseases in 2023.

This change is not restricted to wealthy countries. The transition toward a disease burden dominated by chronic conditions is increasingly visible across different income groups. In 2023, communicable diseases accounted for less than half of all deaths in low-income countries for the first time, representing a major change in the pattern of global mortality.

Heart Disease Remains the World’s Biggest Killer

Cardiovascular disease continues to represent the largest global health burden.

Ischaemic heart disease alone was responsible for approximately 9.5 million deaths in 2023, making it the leading cause of death worldwide. It also accounted for about 210 million disability-adjusted life years, representing years of healthy life lost because of premature death or disability.

Stroke was the second leading cause of death, with approximately 6.8 million deaths, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease accounted for about 3.6 million deaths.

The figures show that cardiovascular and respiratory conditions continue to place enormous pressure on health systems despite improvements in prevention and treatment.

Diabetes and Kidney Disease Become Bigger Concerns

The latest estimates also highlight the increasing impact of diabetes and kidney disease.

Global deaths from diabetes reached approximately 2 million in 2023, more than twice the number recorded in 2000. Kidney disease also moved substantially higher in the global ranking of causes of death, reaching ninth place after deaths associated with the condition increased by about 86% between 2000 and 2023.

The changes underline the growing importance of long-term prevention and management of metabolic and chronic conditions.

Dementia Rises Sharply

Dementia has also become a much larger component of the global disease burden.

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia ranked as the fifth leading cause of death in 2023, compared with 19th place in 2000. Approximately 2.1 million people died from dementia-related causes in 2023, with women accounting for about two-thirds of those deaths.

Population ageing is an important factor behind the growing importance of dementia, as people are living longer and the number of older adults increases in many parts of the world.

Mental Health Burden Is Also Increasing

The global health picture is not limited to physical diseases. The estimates show a significant rise in the burden associated with mental health conditions.

Between 2019 and 2023, the global age-standardized rate of healthy life lost because of depressive disorders increased by approximately 20%, while the corresponding rate for anxiety disorders increased by nearly 45%. Together, these conditions were responsible for an estimated 110 million years of healthy life lost in 2023.

These figures indicate that health systems will increasingly need to address mental health alongside traditional priorities such as infectious diseases and cardiovascular conditions.

COVID-19 Falls Out of the Top 10

Another major change is the position of COVID-19 among global causes of death.

In 2023, COVID-19 dropped out of the world’s top ten causes of death for the first time since the pandemic began. An estimated 0.9 million deaths were directly attributed to COVID-19 in 2023, placing it 14th among global causes of death.

The change reflects the substantial decline in COVID-19 mortality after the pandemic’s peak years and the recovery of global life expectancy.

However, the latest figures show that the pandemic’s effects have not disappeared completely. Healthy life expectancy remains below its 2019 level, demonstrating that recovering the number of years people live is not the same as fully restoring the years lived in good health.

A Changing Challenge for Global Health

The new estimates present a mixed picture. On one side, global life expectancy has recovered close to its pre-pandemic level. On the other, chronic diseases, mental health conditions and ageing-related illnesses are becoming increasingly important.

The data suggest that future health strategies will need to focus not only on extending life but also on preventing disability and ensuring that people remain healthy for a greater proportion of their lives.

The changing disease pattern also means that countries will need to adapt health services, prevention programmes and resource allocation to meet the growing demand for long-term care and chronic disease management.

The global health challenge is therefore entering a new phase: people are living longer, but ensuring that those additional years are healthy is becoming increasingly important.