Lancet researchers said that the people’s global life expectancy, which refers to the number of years a person can expect to live, was reduced by 1.6 years during the first two years of the pandemic.
Between 1950 and 2021, the global life expectancy at birth increased by 22.7 years, from 49 to 71.7 years.
However, when the pandemic came, the average life expectancy of people across the world dropped by 1.6 years between 2019 and 2021.
Lancet researchers also found that the global population growth has been dropping since 2017 and has continued to fall more rapidly during the pandemic, proving that COVID-19 had a huge effect on the world.
According to the research, the world’s population is aging, with more people aged 65 growing faster than those who are under age 15 in 188 countries and territories studied between 2000 and 2021.
When the pandemic struck, it led to 12.3 percent of global deaths, equivalent to 131 million, between 2020 and 2021. These deaths were the result of either direct infection or the social, economic, and behavioral changes associated with the pandemic.
According to the author of the study, Austin Schumacher, the changes in population impact global health. As older populations and citizens in poorer countries increase, it will cause “unprecedented social, economic and political challenges.”
