We're living six years longer: Global life expectancy is rising

Life expectancy has increased by six years as deaths from cancer and heart disease are falling.

18:02 19 December 2014

A global study has concluded that people across the world have a longer life expectancy as the number of deaths caused by cancer and heart disease has dramatically decreased.

The Global Burden of Disease study has found that men are living 5.8 years longer than they did in 1990 while women are living an extra 6.6 years. Meanwhile, third world countries have falling death rates caused by diarrhoea, lower respiratory tract infections, and neonatal disorders.

Lead author Dr Christopher Murray, professor of global health at the University of Washington, US, said: 'The progress we are seeing against a variety of illnesses and injuries is good, even remarkable, but we can and must do even better.

'The huge increase in collective action and funding given to the major infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, measles, tuberculosis, HIV/Aids, and malaria has had a real impact.

'However, this study shows that some major chronic diseases have been largely neglected but are rising in importance, particularly drug disorders, liver cirrhosis, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.'