Early Deaths: A head to head with Australia that NZ doesn’t want to win

Matthew Tukaki Early Deaths: A head to head with Australia that NZ doesn’t want to win

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A new study indicates New Zealand is lagging behind Australia when it comes to mortality rates and life expectancy.

Professor Valery Feigin, director of AUT’s National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neuroscience (NISAN), says the study in The Lancet highlights the urgent need

for more targeted and effective health prevention programmes.

“We need to focus on healthier lifestyles, better blood pressure control, and tackling obesity if we want to reduce preventable deaths and close the health gap with Australia.”

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 shows significant differences in mortality and disease patterns between Aotearoa and our trans-Tasman neighbours.

While global age-standardised mortality rates have declined since 1990, New Zealand’s mortality (431 deaths per 100,000 people) remains markedly higher than Australia’s (347 per 100,000).

Life expectancy in New Zealand (81.6 years) also trails that of Australia (84.0 years).

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