World Health Organization (WHO) released the 2019 Global Health Estimates. According to the report, non-communicable diseases currently account for 7 of the top 10 causes of death in the world, an increase from 4 of the 10 leading causes of death in 2000.
Highlights:
♦ The new data covers the period from 2000 to 2019.
♦ Heart disease:
(1) In the past 20 years, it has been the leading cause of death worldwide;
(2) It now accounts for 16% of total deaths from all causes;
(3) The number of deaths from heart disease increased by more than two million since 2000 to nearly 9 million in 2019
♦ Diabetes and dementia are also among the top 10 causes of death in the world.
♦ HIV/AIDS dropped from the 8th leading cause of death in 2000 to the 19th in 2019.
♦ Tuberculosis is no longer in the top 20 in the world. It has dropped from 7th place in 2000 to 13th in 2019, and the number of deaths worldwide has decreased by 30%.
♦ In 2019, people will live more than 6 years longer than in 2000. In 2019, the global average life expectancy was more than 73 years, compared with 67 years in 2000.
♦ There has been a global decline in deaths from communicable diseases, which, however, still remain a major challenge in low- and middle-income countries.
