Dubai: A new study has revealed that the life expectancy of residents in the UAE has risen in the last 10 years, but heart disease remains the main cause of deaths.
These and other significant health findings were recently published in an issue of The Lancet as part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD).
The study draws on the work of more than 1,800 collaborators in nearly 130 countries and territories.
“We are seeing a rise in non-communicable disease in the region, mainly due to behavioral changes such as diet and physical activity,” said Dr Ali Mokdad, Director of Middle Eastern Initiatives at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), at the University of Washington.
Over the past 25 years, life expectancy has increased throughout the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
In 2015, the life expectancy at birth was 79 years in Bahrain, 72 in Egypt, 66 in Pakistan, and 68 in Sudan.
“At the same time, unrest and instability in the region will only further health loss from these diseases as services become limited and infrastructure is destroyed,” said Dr Mokdad.
Global Burden of Diseases 2015 Data for United Arab Emirates
All data are for all ages and both genders unless otherwise specified.
Life expectancy females
2005: 77.3
2015: 78
Life expectancy males
2005: 74.2
2015: 74.5
Top five causes of death 2015:
1. Ischemic heart disease – causes 21.6 per cent of total deaths
2. Motor vehicle road injuries – 9 per cent
3. Hemorrhagic stroke – 6.4 per cent
4. Diabetes – 3.8 per cent
5. Ischemic stroke – 3.6 per cent
Top five causes of years lived with disability (YLDs) 2015:
1. Low back pain – 8.2 per cent of total YLD
2. Diabetes – 8.1 per cent
3. Major depression – 7.2 per cent
4. Other musculoskeletal – 5.5 per cent
5. Migraine – 5.3 per cent
Source: Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study
