Photo by Alex Chambers on Unsplash
To introduce this section I am interested to know what diseases might take us out from a purely statistical point of view, so I know where to focus my attention when it comes to longevity. Here are the leading causes of death worldwide.
Please note that known conditions, genetics/family history, the local environment and socio-economic status will all influence how you view these numbers and interpret the priorities for your own health.
I’ve gone purely with statistics from the World Health Organisation and presented the key points. If you would like to read their full article it is here.
Key points
- These 10 causes represent over half of the annual deaths worldwide
- Ischaemic heart disease and stroke have remained the world’s biggest killer for the last 15 years.
- Lower respiratory infections are the highest communicable cause of death.
- Diabetes and dimensias are on the rise, compared to 2000.
When income levels in countries are taken into account the impact of poor living conditions changes the stats, with communicable and nutritional diseases such as lower respiratory conditions and diarrhoeal diseases rising to the top of the chart. I am fortunate to live in a high income country, so the following chart is of more relevance to me.
Ischaemic heart disease is by far the biggest killer here, so stop worrying if the airplane is going to crash and take notice of what you can do to lower your risk factors for the diseases above.
References
World Health Organisation: Top 10 Causes of Death, 2018
Heather Ogden-Handa
Good to meet you! I’m a marketer and writer interested in aging and longevity. I see lots of great information out there, so I’m keen to share topics that take my interest. Over time I hope the knowledge and community around this blog will have a positive impact on the healthy lifestyles of many individuals.