A warning signal about the physical and mental health of young people in Europe and worldwide is being sent by the new scientific study Global Burden of Disease, published in the leading medical journal The Lancet. The study examines in depth the causes of premature deaths, diseases, disabilities, and life expectancy over a 35-year period — from 1990 to today — across 204 countries and regions, including Greece.

It was conducted by an international network of 16,500 scientists, using more than 300,000 data sources. Its findings were presented on Sunday, October 12, at the World Health Summit in Berlin. The study’s conclusions are mixed. On the positive side, since 2023, overall mortality rates have declined in all countries, and global life expectancy has recovered from the drop caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

On the other hand, researchers point to an “emerging global crisis,” with increasing mortality rates among adolescents and young adults. The causes vary — from alcohol use, suicides, and self-harm, particularly in developed countries, to infectious diseases and accidents in sub-Saharan Africa.

Alcohol, drugs, self-harm, and suicides increase youth mortality. Scientists warn that the study’s data should serve as an “alarm bell.” The study also found that chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, now account for two-thirds of all health problems, and that mental health disorders are rising rapidly.

Researchers estimated that half of the global burden of disease could be prevented, since it stems from risk factors that can be reduced — such as high blood pressure, air pollution, smoking, and obesity.

Life expectancy

The global average life expectancy is 76.3 years for women and 71.5 years for men — an increase of over 20 years since 1950, though with sharp geographic differences. For example, life expectancy in developed economies averages 83 years, while in sub-Saharan Africa it is just 62 years.

In Greece, life expectancy stands at 80 years (82.8 for women and 77.2 for men) — three years lower than the average for countries in the same high-income category.

Anxiety and depression plague young people

Reesearchers express particular concern about persistently high or rising mortality rates among young people and adolescents.

Dr. Christopher J.L Murray, Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, told The Guardian there were “very sharp increases” in youth deaths, which alarmed researchers.

He explained that the rise in deaths among young adults, especially in North America, “is closely linked to the increase in anxiety and depression among young people, particularly among women.”

The rise in mental health disorders is an increasingly pressing issue in public discussion. However, there is still no clear conclusion as to what causes the deterioration of young people’s mental health.

In Eastern Europe, the largest increases in mortality were recorded among those aged 15–19 and 20–24, with rates rising by 54% and 40% respectively between 2011 and 2023.

“Is it social media? Electronic devices? Broader social trends in child-rearing?” Murray asked. “We know that the situation worsened due to Covid. There is therefore great debate in psychiatric epidemiology and general social commentary about the causes affecting mental health — and that makes finding solutions more difficult,” he added.

Risk of backsliding

Emanuela Gakidou, co-lead author of the study and professor at IHME, warned that the progress achieved in low-income regions is at risk due to recent cuts in international aid. “These countries rely on global health funding to provide primary care, medicines, and life-saving vaccines. Without it, the gap is certain to widen,” she said.

Rising risk for Europe’s youth

Mortality rates among young adults have risen alarmingly in the last decade in Eastern Europe. The causes include drug use, suicides, and wars on the EU’s eastern borders. In the wider region, deaths among young adults have also increased between 2000 and 2023, due to complications from HIV, self-harm, or violence. In Central Europe, deaths linked to mental and eating disorders among teenagers have also risen sharply during the past decade.

These findings reflect a global trend: a sharp increase in mental health disorders, with worldwide rates of anxiety rising by 63% and depression by 26%.

In Eastern Europe, the largest increases in mortality were observed among those aged 15–19 and 20–24, with rates rising by 54% and 40% respectively between 2011 and 2023.

Findings for Greece

According to the data for Greece, there is a troubling observation: while the country had a positive population growth rate between 2000 and 2009, this trend reversed between 2010 and 2019.

The Lancet study defines the natural population growth rate as the number of births minus the number of deaths, divided by “person-years.”