Global life expectancy rebounds to near pre-pandemic levels

Global life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023, nearly matching the 73.4 years recorded in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the WHO's annual world health statistics report. It had fallen to 71.5 years in 2021. WHO's Dr. Alain Labrique called longer lifespans a major public health achievement, but stressed the next challenge is ensuring those extra years are lived in good health. Healthy life expectancy recovered more slowly, reaching 62.8 years in 2023, still 0.4 years below 2019 levels. The Americas region saw the largest increases in mortality risk and healthy years lost between 2000 and 2023, while the Western Pacific saw a considerable decline. Non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and Alzheimer's caused 74% of global deaths in 2023, up from 58% in 2000.