Survey of IBGE Mortality Tables points to a recovery in post-pandemic rates and a drop in infant mortality, but highlights a high incidence of deaths from violent causes among young males
Longevity continues to grow. According to data released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics () referring to the 2024 Complete Mortality Tables, life expectancy at birth in the country reached the mark of 76.6 years. The number represents an increase of approximately two and a half months compared to the previous year, consolidating the recovery of demographic indicators after the impact of the pandemic, which had reduced the national average to 72.8 years in 2021.
When analyzing the data by gender, a significant difference is observed. Women maintain a higher life expectancy, projected in 79.9 yearswhile the average for men was 73.3 years.
The increase in longevity is significant when analyzed from a historical perspective. Anyone born in Brazil in 1940 expected to live, on average, just 45.5 years. In just over eight decades, there was a gain of 31.1 years in the population’s average lifespan. One of the main factors behind this evolution was the drastic reduction in infant mortality. In 1940, for every thousand live births, around 146 did not reach one year of age. In 2024, this rate fell to 12.3 deaths per thousand births.
This improvement in child survival is attributed to a set of social and public health advances, including the expansion of basic sanitation, increased education and family income, as well as effective policies such as mass vaccination campaigns, encouraging breastfeeding and prenatal care and child nutrition programs.
Violence among young men
Despite general advances, IBGE data expose a specific demographic vulnerability: the so-called male excess mortality. The phenomenon reaches its peak among young adults, especially those aged 20 to 24.
In this age group, a man has 4.1 times more likely to die than a woman of the same age. Unlike the 1940 scenario, this current disparity is not caused by biological issues, but by external and non-natural factors. The high incidence of homicides, traffic accidents and suicides prevents male life expectancy from keeping up with female life expectancy.
Longevity in old age
The aging of the population also presents positive indicators. For those who reach 60 years of age, the prospect of survival has increased considerably. In 2024, an elderly person of this age will, on average, have more 22.6 years of life ahead.
Again, women have the advantage: at age 60, they live, on average, 24.2 years longer, while men live 20.8 years longer. The same pattern repeats itself for octogenarians; Those who reach 80 years of age can expect to live another 9.5 years (women) and 8.3 years (men).
Impact on Social Security
The IBGE Mortality Tables are not just for statistical recording. They have direct practical application in the economy and in the lives of citizens, as they are used by the Federal Government as a parameter for calculating the social security factor. Therefore, the increase in life expectancy directly influences the value of pensions calculated under the General Social Security Regime.
