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Global Life Expectancy Rebounds Post-COVID, But Healthy Years Lag Behind
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News18•03-10-2026, 13:59
Global Life Expectancy Rebounds Post-COVID, But Healthy Years Lag Behind
- •Global life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023, nearly matching the 2019 pre-pandemic level of 73.4 years, a significant public health milestone.
- •Healthy life expectancy, however, is recovering slower, standing at 62.8 years in 2023, still 0.4 years below 2019 levels, indicating a gap in quality of life improvements.
- •Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) now account for 74% of all global deaths, with ischaemic heart disease remaining the leading cause, responsible for 9.5 million deaths in 2023.
- •COVID-19 deaths significantly decreased, falling to 14th place in 2023 with 900,000 estimated deaths, down from first in 2021.
- •The data highlights the need for health systems to shift towards prevention, early detection, and long-term management of NCDs to ensure longer lives are also healthier lives.
Key Questions Answered
In 2023, the global average life expectancy reached 73.3 years, which is just a fraction below the pre-COVID peak of 73.4 years recorded in 2019 and a significant recovery from the low of 71.5 years in 2021.
Healthy life expectancy remains 0.4 years short of 2019 levels because the global burden of noncommunicable diseases, tripled dementia deaths, and sharp increases in anxiety and depression have lagged behind overall longevity gains.
Ischaemic heart disease remained the world's biggest killer in 2023, responsible for 16% of global deaths and rising to 9.5 million fatalities, while noncommunicable diseases overall accounted for 74% of all deaths.
