Global Life Expectancy Surges, Driven by Decreases in Leading Killers: Since 1990

 

A study published in The Lancet has revealed a significant increase in life expectancy over the past three decades, with people living an average of 6.2 years longer in 2021 compared to 1990. This progress can be attributed to significant reductions in deaths from leading causes such as diarrheal diseases, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and ischemic heart disease. However, these gains would have been even more substantial had not been for the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

South Asia, including India, has experienced one of the most significant improvements in life expectancy, with India’s life expectancy increasing by nearly eight years over the past three decades. Bhutan leads the pack with an astonishing 13.6-year gain, followed by Bangladesh (13.3 years), Nepal (10.4 years), and Pakistan (2.5 years). The super region of Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania has achieved the largest net gain in life expectancy between 1990 and 2021, with an impressive 8.3-year increase.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on life expectancy globally, causing a major reshuffle in the leading causes of death worldwide. COVID-19 has displaced stroke, a long-dominant killer, to become the second-leading cause of death globally. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions and global collaboration to address the remaining challenges, emphasizing the importance of preventing and treating enteric infections, strengthening immunization programs, and developing new vaccines.