According to The Guardian, a new Global Burden of Disease study has raised alarms over rising death rates among teenagers and young adults worldwide, describing it as an “emerging crisis.”
Despite overall improvements in global health and life expectancy, the study found that youth mortality is rising, driven by suicide, alcohol, and drug use in North and Latin America, and by infectious diseases and injuries in sub-Saharan Africa.
The research — conducted by 16,500 scientists across 204 countries and published in The Lancet — revealed that half of the world’s disease burden is preventable. Key risk factors include high blood pressure, air pollution, smoking, and obesity.
Dr Christopher Murray of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) said the findings were a “wake-up call” for governments to act swiftly. He highlighted growing mental health problems among youth, especially young women, noting that social media and pandemic isolation may have worsened anxiety and depression.
In Africa, the situation remains dire for women aged 15–29, where death rates are 61% higher than previously estimated, largely due to pregnancy complications, road injuries, and meningitis.
Experts, including Dr Githinji Gitahi of Amref Health Africa, urged stronger youth-centred healthcare systems, pointing to the “triple burden” of rising living costs, chronic diseases, and climate change.
Meanwhile, Professor Emmanuela Gakidou from IHME warned that global health aid cuts could worsen inequalities, threatening decades of progress in low-income nations.
The authors concluded that while life expectancy continues to improve globally, young people face mounting physical and mental health challenges, requiring urgent, integrated global action.
Original Article Link: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/oct/12/global-burden-disease-study-high-youth-death-rates-drugs-alcohol-suicide-emerging-crisis
