Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Global Lifespans Recover, but Healthy Years Still Lag
People around the world are living about as long as they did before COVID-19.
But the number of years people live in full health has not caught up.
In 2023, average life expectancy was 73.3 years, while healthy life expectancy was 62.8 years.
The pandemic caused both measures to fall between 2019 and 2021.
Recovery has been faster in some parts of the world than in others.
Long-lasting illnesses can mean people spend more of their lives managing health problems.
The World Health Organization says that better prevention and fairer access to care are important.
So, living longer does not always mean living more years in good health.
Global life expectancy reached 73.3 years in 2023, nearly matching 73.4 years in 2019.
Healthy life expectancy was 62.8 years in 2023 and remained below its pre-pandemic level.
From 2019 to 2021, life expectancy fell by 1.8 years and healthy life expectancy by 1.5 years.
Recovery differs by region, with some areas returning to or exceeding pre-pandemic life expectancy and others still lagging.
Chronic conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia, contribute to the gap between lifespan and healthspan.
- Who
- People worldwide, according to World Health Organization data.
- What
- Global life expectancy has nearly returned to its 2019 level, while healthy life expectancy remains lower.
- When
- The figures compare 2019, 2021 and 2023.
- Where
- Worldwide, with recovery varying across regions.
- Why
- The article links the gap to chronic diseases, uneven recovery and challenges including unequal access to care.
- Global life expectancy, 2023
- 73.3 years
- Global life expectancy, 2019
- 73.4 years
- Healthy life expectancy, 2023
- 62.8 years
- Life expectancy decline, 2019–2021
- 1.8 years
- Healthy life expectancy decline, 2019–2021
- 1.5 years
- Approximate global lifespan-healthspan gap
- About 10 years