Life Expectancy Increases in Switzerland

Countries have saved more lives over the past decade according to the annual Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) study published yesterday. In Switzerland, life expectancy has increased to 85 years for women and to 81 years for men. The Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute contributed to the GDB, the world’s largest scientific collaboration on population health.

Life expectancy in Switzerland continues to be among the highest worldwide.

Globally, countries made progress in avoiding the loss of lives due to premature death over the past decade, saving in particular lives of children under five, according to the annual Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) study published on 14 September 2017 in 'The Lancet.' In 2016, fewer than 5 million children under the age of five died as compared to 11 million in 1990. However, persistent health problems, such as obesity, conflict, and mental illness prevent people from living long, healthy lives.

"More data could further improve predictions"

In Switzerland, newborn babies can today expect to live over 80 years with over 70 years spent in good health. Over the past decade, life expectancy has increased by 1.5 years for women and by 2 years for men reaching 85 and 81 years, respectively. Major causes of years of life lost due to premature death include ischemic heart disease, lung cancer, Alzheimer's, self-harm, and stroke. Back and neck pain and migraines are the top causes of years that people live with disability in Switzerland.

"To further improve the estimates and predictions of the GBD in Switzerland, we hope to add additional Swiss health data in the future," said Thomas Fürst, epidemiologist at the Swiss TPH and co-author of the GBD study. "More evidence would help us in evaluating where the comparatively expensive Swiss healthcare system is doing well and where not; and hence offer opportunities for improvement."

World's largest scientific study on population health

The latest release of the GBD study is composed of five peer-reviewed papers providing in-depth analyses of life expectancy and mortality, causes of death, overall disease burden, years lived with disability, and risk factors that lead to health loss in all countries globally. The health loss estimates are comparable across different causes and risk factors and between different countries.

The GBD study uses existing data and the expertise of nearly 2,700 collaborators from more than 130 nations. For its latest predictions, more than 13 billion estimates of illnesses, diseases, and injuries were produced. Swiss TPH contributed to this large scientific study on population health.