Singaporeans are expected to live the longest in the world.

The expected lifespan at birth has extended to 84.8 years as of 2017, beating Japan at 84.1 years, whose citizens traditionally live the longest.

Lifespan in good health

According to The Burden of Disease in Singapore 1990 to 2017 report, the average Singaporean is also expected to live 74.2 years in good health, doing better than 39 other locations.

These life expectancy figures improved dramatically since 1990.

In 1990, Singaporeans had an expected lifespan of 76.1 years and were projected to live 67.1 years in good health.

Females vs males

Life expectancy for females in Singapore was the highest in the world at 87.6 years.

Males in Singapore came in second at 81.9 years, behind Switzerland at 82.1 years.

Females living longer than men -- an expected phenomenon -- effectively contributes to Singapore being top with the world’s longest life expectancy.

Healthy life expectancy

Singapore is also number one for healthy life expectancy for males and females, at 72.6 years and 75.8 years, respectively.

The only downside: The average Singaporean would live 10.6 years in ill health as at 2017, about 1.5 years longer than they did in 1990.

Ill health years extended too

The study noted that while premature deaths in Singapore have declined, the rates at which Singaporeans experience ill health have remained relatively constant over time.

Premature deaths are measured in years of life lost or YLLs.

The experience of ill heath is measured in years lived with disability or YLDs.

This is an indication that Singapore has not been as successful at preventing ill health as it has been in preventing early death, which is similar to most places in the world, the report said.

Ageing population issues

Singapore’s ageing population has led to increases in combined burden of early death and disability.

The top four contributors to Singapore’s combined burden of early death and disability, measured in disability-adjusted life years or DALYs, were:

1. cardiovascular diseases,

2. cancers,

3. musculoskeletal disorders, and

4. mental disorders.

Causes of early death and disability

The causes of DALYs that rose the most between 1990 and 2017 were:

i. sense organ diseases, including hearing loss and vision impairments;

ii. neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias; and

iii. musculoskeletal disorders.

Diabetes

Diabetes is going to be a challenge for Singapore, the report said.

The issue is dependent on whether Singapore is able to reduce the chronic, non-fatal health problems diabetes causes, the report added.

From 1990 to 2017, overweight and obesity rose from Singapore’s eighth leading risk factor to fifth.

The top three causes for premature deaths in Singapore in 2017 are:

a. cancers (31.8 percent),

b. cardiovascular diseases (28.5 percent), and

c. lower respiratory infections, which includes pneumonia (10.1 percent).

These top three causes accounted for about 70 percent of premature deaths.

Causes of disability

The four leading causes of years living with disability in Singapore are:

a. musculoskeletal disorders,

b. mental disorders,

c. unintentional injuries, and

d. neurological disorders.

They have changed relatively little over time, the report said.

Mental disorders

The report findings showed that mental disorders represented the largest single contributor to disease burden for Singaporeans between the ages of 10 and 34.

For 15- to 19-year-olds, it accounts for a quarter of total DALYs.

The study also found that self-harm and interpersonal violence “disproportionately” affect young adults in Singapore.

While young adults make up only 5.6 percent of total premature deaths for 2017, it accounted for 32.9 percent of total premature deaths for those aged between 20 and 24.

This means those between 20 and 24 are most vulnerable out of young Singaporeans.

Study

The Ministry of Health oversaw the study published in April.

It was completed in collaboration with the US-based Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation.