Table of Contents
People now live 20 years longer than they did in 1950. About 204 countries were researched. All of them now have fewer deaths than before. However, there is also a new problem: more young people are dying.
In 2023, women’s life expectancy was 76.3 years. Men’s life expectancy was 71.5 years. These numbers come from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
Life expectancy is now the same as before the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 was the top cause of death in 2021. But in 2023, it dropped to the 20th cause. Now, heart disease and stroke are again the main causes of death globally.
Generally, fewer people are dying from infectious diseases, like measles and diarrhea. Today, non-infectious diseases cause about 75% of all sickness and death. These diseases include heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Dr. Christopher Murray, IHME Director, said that the world has more old people now. New things are causing health problems which creates “a new era of global health challenges.”
The research says that we can prevent about half of the world’s sickness. This is because many causes of disease can be changed. High blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity are some of the biggest problems.
Deaths for young people are increasing in some parts of the world. In North America, more young adults (ages 20 to 39) are dying, mostly because of suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol. In Eastern Europe and Africa, young people are dying more from infections and accidents.
Globally, life expectancy is from 83 years in the richest areas to only 62 years in parts of Africa.
Vocabulary
- Research – the process/act of studying something to learn more about it and gain new understanding
- Fewer – less; A smaller amount or number
- Death – when someone or something stops being alive; the end of a life
- Die – When someone or something stops living; to stop living
- Life expectancy – How many years a person is expected to live; how many years someone usually lives
- Numbers – data; statistics; information;
- Pandemic – when a disease or sickness goes all over the country or world
- Cause – make something (usually bad) happen; create
- Drop – to decrease; to go down; to become less; 📉
- Heart disease – A group of problems that affect your heart; When your heart doesn’t work as well as it should
- Stroke – A serious illness that happens when blood cannot get to your brain;
- Main – the most important or the biggest;
- Globally – related to the whole world; everywhere in the world
- Generally – In most cases; usually
- Disease – illness; sickness; disorder; something that attacks the body
- Infectious disease – A sickness that can pass from one person to another
- Measles – A sickness that gives you a fever, cough, and red spots on your skin;
- Diarrhea – when you have to go to the bathroom a lot with loose poop; 💩
- Today – these days; now; This present day
- Sickness – Being unhealthy or ill; a disease or illness
- Diabetes – A health condition where your body has trouble controlling the amount of sugar in your blood
- Director – boss, leader, head, manager
- Create – to make something new or original; produce
- Era – A long period of time
- Challenge – problem; obstacle; something that needs a lot of work in order to be done successfully
- Prevent – to stop; to keep from happening; to put an end to
- Blood pressure – how strongly your blood is pushing against the walls of your blood vessels
- Cholesterol – A fatty substance in the body that can be healthy or unhealthy
- Obesity – a medical condition in which someone has too much body fat, which can lead to health problems; the state or condition of being very fat/overweight
- Suicide – the act of killing yourself intentionally;
- Drug – any natural or artificially made chemical that is used as a medicine; any natural or artificially made chemical that is taken for pleasure/fun, to improve performance or because a person feels like they need it; something people take to ‘feel good’
- Overdose – to take too much of a drug or medicine that can be dangerous and sometimes deadly
- Alcohol – A drink like beer or wine that can make people feel relaxed, excited or aggressive
- Infection – a sickness or disease caused by germs; 🦠
- Accident – something that happens unexpectedly or without warning, usually a bad thing; an event not intended by anyone; mishap
- Rich – a person that has a lot of money; to have a lot of money
- Part – a piece of something; a section of a whole thing; not the whole thing
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- The text says that people now live 20 years longer. How do you think this change affects society and families?
- We can prevent about half of the world’s sickness by changing things like smoking and diet. Which of these problems do you think is the most difficult for people to change? Why?
- Why do you think young people in rich countries like North America are having problems with suicide and drug overdose?
- Life expectancy is 83 years in the richest areas but only 62 years in parts of Africa. What do you think governments should do to try and change this difference?
- The text talks about a “new era of global health challenges.” What does this phrase mean to you, and what new challenges do you worry about?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
People _____ live 20 years longer than they did in _____. About 204 countries were researched. All of _____ now have fewer deaths than before. _____, there is also a new problem: more young people _____ dying.
In 2023, women’s life expectancy _____ 76.3 years. Men’s life expectancy was 71.5 years. These _____ come from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).
_____ expectancy is now the same as before the COVID-19 _____.
COVID-19 was the top cause of death in _____. But in 2023, it dropped to the 20th cause. Now, heart _____ and stroke are again the main causes of death _____.
Generally, fewer people are _____ from infectious diseases, like measles and diarrhea. _____, non-infectious diseases cause about _____% of all sickness and death. These diseases include heart disease, _____ and diabetes.
Dr. Christopher Murray, IHME _____, said that the world has more old people now. _____ things are causing health problems which _____ “a new era of global health challenges.”
The research says that _____ can prevent about half of the world’s sickness. _____ is because many causes of disease can be changed. _____ blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and _____ are some of the biggest problems.
_____ for young people are increasing in some parts of the _____. In North America, more young adults (ages 20 to 39) are _____, mostly because of suicide, drug overdose, and _____. In Eastern Europe and Africa, young people are dying _____ from infections and accidents.
_____, life expectancy is from 83 years in the _____ areas to only 62 years in parts of _____.
