Global life expectancy returned in 2023 to levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic, rising to 76.3 years for women and 71.5 years for men, according to Global Burden of Disease, a long-running study on mortality.
Since 1950, life expectancy has increased by more than 20 years for both sexes.
While mortality rates have fallen overall, deaths among adolescents and young adults in North and South America have risen, mainly due to suicide and drug or alcohol use, the researchers led by Christopher Murray at the University of Washington in Seattle found.
The study’s life expectancy data was published in The Lancet scientific journal and released on Sunday.
The new analysis drew on 310,000 data sources worldwide, about 30% of which were used in the study series for the first time. Estimates were produced for 204 countries and territories.
Globally, women’s life expectancy rose from 51.2 years in 1950 to 76.3 years in 2023, and men’s from 47.9 to 71.5 years.
According to a forecast published in May based on the study data, men born from 2050 onwards will gain an average of 4.9 years of life, compared to 4.2 years for women.
Life expectancy continues to vary widely – from about 83 years for both sexes in high-income countries to around 62 years in sub-Saharan Africa.
Covid-19, the world’s leading cause of death in 2021, fell to 20th place in 2023. Ischaemic heart disease, or reduced blood flow to the heart, was the top killer, followed by stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Other leading causes of death included lower respiratory infections, neonatal disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, lung cancer, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
