New Delhi: Despite overall death rates declining by 67 per cent across the world, mortality rates among young adults have not witnessed a similar pattern due to factors such as suicide, drug overdose and high alcohol consumption, according to a global study published in The Lancet journal.
The findings are part of the ‘Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023’, which has analysed data from about 3,10,000 sources and over 14,000 researchers and experts worldwide.
China reported the highest number of deaths in 2023 at 10.7 million, followed by India (9.85 million) and the US (over three million).
However, upon adjusting for population sizes, India ranked 73rd in terms of death rate, while China and the US were placed at 166th and 160th, respectively.
India also led the list of five countries with the highest number of COVID-19- related deaths, with over three million fatalities, followed by 1.21 million in the US and over one million in Russia, the study found.
The researchers added that nearly half the deaths and disabilities across the world could be prevented by addressing 88 risk factors, including high blood pressure, air pollution, smoking and obesity.
They also found that life expectancy has increased by more than 20 years since 1950. Pre-pandemic, women had an average life expectancy of 76 years life, while men lived over 71 years on average.
“The rapid growth in the world’s aging population and evolving risk factors have ushered in a new era of global health challenges,” said Dr Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, US, which coordinates the GBD study.
“The evidence presented in the Global Burden of Disease study is a wake-up call, urging government and health care leaders to respond swiftly and strategically to the disturbing trends that are reshaping public health needs,” he added.
Though observing a significant progress in combating infectious diseases globally, the researchers said that diabetes, mental disorders, and obesity remain growing challenges.
They highlighted that causes of death could possibly be shifting from infectious to non-communicable diseases, creating new global health challenges, particularly for low-income countries, the team said.
They also pointed out that about half of the top 10 leading causes of early death and disability worldwide are non-communicable diseases, of which diabetes, anxiety and depressive disorders are among the fastest growing ones.
COVID-19 — the leading cause of death in 2021 — fell to the 20th place in 2023, with heart disease and stroke becoming top ranked causes, followed by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections, and neonatal disorders.
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