Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, diabetes and dementia accounted for 74 per cent of global deaths in 2023, up from 58 per cent in 2000, according to the latest estimates released by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The findings, contained in the WHO’s latest Global Health Estimates released on Friday, show that although global life expectancy has largely recovered from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the world’s disease burden is increasingly shifting towards chronic illnesses and mental health conditions.
According to the report, global life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023, almost returning to the 73.4 years recorded in 2019 before the pandemic. However, healthy life expectancy, which measures the number of years people live in good health, recovered more slowly, reaching 62.8 years in 2023, still 0.4 years below its pre-pandemic level.
The WHO noted that eight of the world’s 10 leading causes of death were NCDs in 2023, highlighting a long-term global shift away from communicable diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases remain leading killer
The report identified cardiovascular diseases as the leading cause of death and disease burden worldwide.
It said ischaemic heart disease alone caused approximately 9.5 million deaths and 210 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2023. DALYs measure years of healthy life lost due to illness, disability or premature death.
While many parts of the world have made significant progress in reducing the burden of ischaemic heart disease since 2000, the WHO reported rising individual-level risks in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions, highlighting persistent inequalities in cardiovascular health outcomes.
The organisation also reported substantial increases in the burden of other chronic diseases.
According to the report, the risk of dying from diabetes has risen considerably since 2000, particularly in South-East Asia.
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia have also become more prominent.
Dementia rose from the 19th leading cause of death globally in 2000 to the fifth in 2023, while deaths linked to the condition tripled during the period.
Mental health concerns
The WHO also highlighted the growing impact of mental health conditions on global health.
Between 2019 and 2023, the global age-standardised DALY rate increased by approximately 20 per cent for depressive disorders and nearly 45 per cent for anxiety disorders.
Together, depression and anxiety accounted for an estimated 110 million years of healthy life lost through premature death and disability in 2023.
The report further showed changing patterns in drug use disorders across regions.
Between 2000 and 2023, the WHO Region of the Americas recorded the largest increases in mortality risk and healthy life loss associated with drug use disorders, while the Western Pacific region experienced substantial declines.
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Need for stronger health data systems
Speaking further on the findings, Alani Labrique, Director of WHO’s Department of Data, Digital Health, Analytics and AI, described rising life expectancy as one of public health’s greatest achievements.
However, Mr Labrique noted that the next challenge is ensuring that the additional years people live are spent in good health, while health systems adapt to the changing needs of ageing populations and the growing burden of chronic diseases.
He said the estimates provide countries with evidence on how patterns of death and disease burden are changing over time, helping governments shape health policies, strengthen digital and data infrastructure, and improve their ability to generate insights needed for targeted health interventions.
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