Global life expectancy recovered to 73.3 years in 2023, just below the 73.4 years recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, according to new World Health Organization (WHO) estimates.
Healthy life expectancy recovered more slowly, reaching 62.8 years, still 0.4 years below its 2019 level.
Okay News reports that the agency released its Global Health Estimates update on Friday, October 2, 2026. The findings cover 2000 to 2023.
The figures show that the recovery in overall longevity has outpaced the recovery in healthy years of life.
Noncommunicable diseases accounted for 74% of deaths worldwide in 2023, up from 58% in 2000. They also made up eight of the ten leading causes of death.
“Living longer is one of the great achievements of public health,” said Dr Alain Labrique, Director of WHO’s Department of Data, Digital Health, Analytics and AI.
Cardiovascular diseases remained the leading cause of death worldwide. Ischaemic heart disease alone accounted for approximately 9.5 million deaths in 2023.
