China's Life Expectancy Reaches 79 Years, Exceeding Goals Ahead of Schedule

China's Life Expectancy Reaches 79 Years, Exceeding Goals

China's life expectancy has reached 79 years in 2024, surpassing the goals set in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) ahead of schedule. This achievement is particularly notable as eight provinces now boast an average life expectancy exceeding 80 years.

The announcement was made by Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission (NHC), during a press conference on Sunday. Lei also outlined new initiatives aimed at promoting mental health, weight management, and healthy lifestyles across the nation.

Global Ranking and Health Equity

Globally, China ranks fourth among 53 middle- and high-income countries. Compared to G20 nations, China's average life expectancy ranks 10th, surpassing the life expectancy of 21 high-income countries. This demonstrates the positive impact of healthy lifestyle choices and initiatives like the Healthy China 2030 strategy on public health.

The average life expectancy of Chinese residents increased by 1.7 years in 2024 compared to 2019, marking a significant improvement over five years. Notably, the gap in health levels among the 31 provinces has been gradually narrowing, indicating improved health equity. Additionally, three municipalities – Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai – as well as eight provinces, including Shandong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, have all surpassed an average life expectancy of 80 years.

Mental Health and Weight Management Initiatives

Lei emphasized the importance of mental health services, stating that every prefecture and city will establish a psychological or sleep clinic by the end of the year to provide more accessible mental health services to the public. Additionally, the "12356" hotline will be promoted nationwide to offer mental health services and support.

Furthermore, Lei highlighted the three-year campaign on enhancing the public's weight management. This initiative aims to cultivate a lifestyle and habits that encourage awareness of weight management, healthy eating, and active participation in physical exercise across society.

The campaign involves a series of measures to create a supportive environment for weight management in China. These measures include raising public awareness, improving weight management techniques, and promoting healthy lifestyles. The NHC has enlisted Olympic champions as social ambassadors for weight management and developed WeChat emojis to integrate weight management and chronic disease prevention into people's daily lives.