Aussies are living 6 years longer than we were in 1990 but what diseases affect us most?

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-07-28 08:30

Australia; NSW; VIC; QLD; SA; WA; ACT

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Over the last 30 years or so, Australians have gained an extra 6 years of life expectancy, but non-communicable diseases such as cancer and heart disease still contribute to over 90% of all deaths in 2019, according to Australian research. The study analysed the Australian data in the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study which looks at trends of diseases and their risk factors from 1990 to 2019. In 2019 ischaemic heart disease was the top cause of years of life lost, while 10 of the 25 top causes of years of life lost were cancers. Lower back pain was responsible for the most healthy life lost through disability in 2019 but there were also increases in the ranking of risks from falls, drug use, and anxiety disorders. The authors say key challenges for Australia will be to keep an ageing population healthy, provide adequate resources to promote healthy lifestyles and manage non-communicable diseases.

Journal/
conference: The Lancet Public Health

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Deakin University, The University of Sydney, The University of Queensland, Monash University, The University of Melbourne, James Cook University, Australian National University, Murdoch University, Curtin University, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Adelaide, Griffith University, George Institute for Global Health , La Trobe University, The University of Newcastle, Southern Cross University, Queensland University of Technology, Western Sydney University, Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Flinders University

Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.