The World Health Organization (WHO) released this morning the latest Global Health Estimates (GHE), which provide the latest available data on causes of death and disease burden worldwide.
The estimates cover health trends across countries and regions from 2000 to 2023, including trends in life expectancy, mortality and morbidity, and burden of diseases.
Global life expectancy rebounded to 73.3 years in 2023, close to pre-pandemic levels, but healthy life expectancy remains below 2019, WHO said.
Non-communicable diseases now account for 74% of global deaths, up from 58% in 2000, while dementia deaths have tripled and anxiety- and depression-related health loss has risen sharply since the pandemic.
In 2023, the 10 leading causes of death accounted for 33 million of the 61 million deaths worldwide. Non-communicable diseases represented 8 of the 10 leading causes.
Deaths were concentrated on cardiovascular diseases, including ischaemic heart disease and stroke; and respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lower respiratory infections, the report reads.
