NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: WHO releases the latest global health estimates (and 10 leading causes of death)

No images? Click here Friday, 2 October 2026 NOTE TO JOURNALISTS WHO releases the latest global health estimates The World Health Organization (WHO) released this morning the latest Global Health Estimates (GHE), which provide the latest available data on causes of death and disease burden worldwide. The estimates cover health trends across countries and regions from 2000 to 2023, including trends in life expectancy, mortality and morbidity, and burden of diseases.  Global life expectancy rebounded to 73.3 years in 2023, close to pre-pandemic levels, but healthy life expectancy remains below 2019.  Noncommunicable diseases now account for 74% of global deaths, up from 58% in 2000, while dementia deaths have tripled and anxiety- and depression-related health loss has risen sharply since the pandemic. In 2023, the 10 leading causes of death accounted for 33 million of the 61 million deaths worldwide.  Noncommunicable diseases represented 8 of the 10 leading causes. Deaths were concentrated in two major health areas: cardiovascular diseases, including ischaemic heart disease and stroke; and respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lower respiratory infections. Access to data: GHE data can be accessed, analysed and used through a variety of different channels and mediums, including an interactive visual summary of global and regional data; data visualization in the Global Health Observatory filtered by country, year, age and sex; key trends by country income group; and downloadable files of the complete data sets.  Visit the Global Health Estimates webpage for more information. Further information: New WHO estimates show changing global health landscape Top 10 leading causes of death (fact sheet) Global Health Estimates   Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int   You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list. If you have been forwarded this update you can click here to subscribe. Journalists may send feedback to WHO Media Team         Share    Tweet    Share    Forward  World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1202 Geneva 27, Switzerland  Unsubscribe