Beijing, Jul 12 (IANS): The average life expectancy of Beijing residents rose to 82.15 years in 2017, more than five years above the national average, authorities said on Thursday.

The premature death rate for major chronic diseases of people aged between 30 and 70 was 10.8 per cent in 2017, a decrease of 0.92 per cent from 2016, reports Xinhua news agency.

The main cause of death was chronic non-communicable diseases. Tumours, heart disease and cerebrovascular disease were the top three, accounting for 71.7 per cent.

In 2017, the mortality rate for Beijing residents with tumours increased to 183.8 per 100,000 people, accounting for 26.9 per cent of total deaths, up 3.6 per cent from 2016.

Huang Ruogang, deputy director of Beijing's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said the rise of chronic diseases was attributed to an aging population, and changes in environment and people's lifestyle such as lack of exercise, unhealthy diets and obesity.

The paper also reported progress in establishing a hierarchical medical system, saving 6.74 billion yuan (about $1 billion) in medical expenses.