WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In 2023, the average life expectancy was 76.3 years for women and 71.5 years for men, according to a study published in The Lancet by the University of Washington School of Medicine's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
The study, based on more than 300,000 data sources, found that heart disease and stroke once again became the leading causes of death globally.
Deaths around the world are increasingly shifting away from infectious diseases, with sharp declines in illnesses like measles, diarrheal diseases, and tuberculosis. Instead, lifestyle and environmental risks now have a bigger impact on health. High blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity are among the top risk factors.
Between 2010 and 2023, the health burden linked to obesity increased by 11 percent, while high blood sugar-related diseases rose by 6 percent. Air pollution, lead exposure, and problems linked to newborn health, such as low birth weight and premature birth, were also major contributors.
Mental health has become an important factor in global health outcomes. The burden of anxiety and depression is rising, contributing significantly to illness and death.
Among young adults aged 20 to 39 in high-income North America, deaths have increased sharply over the past decade, mainly due to suicide, drug overdoses, and heavy alcohol use. Deaths among children and teenagers aged 5 to 19 have also risen in Eastern Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa because of infections and accidents.
Overall, life expectancy still varies greatly around the world. It can be as high as 83 years in high-income countries but remains as low as 62 years in sub-Saharan Africa, showing ongoing health disparities across various regions.
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