Health in UK
United Kingdom
Health data overview for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Population
68 682 962 (2023)
Current health expenditure (% of GDP)
12.36 (2021)
WHO region
Europe
World Bank income level
High income (HIC)
Population
Current Population
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2023
68.6M
68,682,962 people
Age 0-14 Years
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2023
8.1%
Percentage of population aged 0–14 years.
Age 15-64 Years
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2023
70.5%
Percentage of population aged 15–64 years.
Age 65+ Years
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2023
21.4%
Percentage of population aged 65 years and older.
Population
UK, 2000 - 2050
Life expectancy
Life expectancy at birth
The average number of years that a newborn could expect to live.
UK, by sex, 2000 - 2021.
Leading Causes of Death (2021)
| Rank | Cause of Death | Deaths per 100,000 Population (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2021) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alzheimer disease and other dementias | 128 |
| 2 | COVID-19 | 103.8 |
| 3 | Ischaemic heart disease | 103.7 |
| 4 | Lower respiratory infections | 56.9 |
| 5 | Stroke | 53.9 |
| 6 | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 53.8 |
| 7 | Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers | 52 |
| 8 | Colon and rectum cancers | 29.2 |
| 9 | Breast cancer | 19.8 |
| 10 | Prostate cancer | 19.8 |
Risk factors
Hypertension
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2019
26.4% [23.8% – 29%]
−0.3 percentage points • improving since 2018
Age-standardized prevalence of hypertension among adults aged 30–79 years (%).
Tobacco Use
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2022
14.2% [11.8% – 16.6%]
Age-standardized prevalence of tobacco use among persons aged 15 years and older (%).
Adult Obesity
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2022
26.8% [24.9% – 28.8%]
+0.2 percentage points • worsening since 2021
Age-standardized prevalence of obesity among adults (18+ years) (%).
Children & Adolescents Obesity
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2022
11.3% [9.4% – 13.4%]
+0.1 percentage points • worsening since 2021
Prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents aged 5–19 years (%).
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