👴🏿 Life expectancy is increasing globally, but most notably in Eastern Africa

• The global average life expectancy increased by 6.2 years between 1990 and 2021, primarily due to decreased deaths from intestinal infections.
• Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa saw the largest increase, with 10.7 years.

Global progress

A new study published in The Lancet shows that the global average life expectancy has increased by 6.2 years since 1990. This can mainly be attributed to progress in combating diseases such as diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and heart diseases.

Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania achieved a net increase of 8.3 years, largely thanks to reduced mortality from chronic respiratory diseases, stroke, lower respiratory infections, and cancer.

The largest increase occurred in Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa, with a full 10.7 years. The successes in this region can primarily be attributed to improved management of diarrheal diseases.

The study provides an overview of changes in life expectancy linked to specific causes of death. Between 1990 and 2021, the global average life expectancy increased by 1.1 years due to reduced deaths from intestinal diseases and by 0.9 years due to lower respiratory infections. For each disease, it was found that reductions in mortality were greatest between 1990 and 2019.

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