This infographic, via Visual Capitalist’s Bruno Venditti, shows the leading causes of death in the U.S., based on recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Heart Disease and Cancer Dominate
Heart disease was responsible for 680,981 deaths (22% of the total), making it the leading cause of death.
Cancer followed closely with 613,352 deaths (nearly 20%).
Accidents Rank Third
Unintentional injuries, often tied to traffic accidents, falls, or overdoses, caused 222,698 deaths. This makes them the third-leading cause of death overall, and a major outlier compared to other chronic or age-related conditions. Notably, accidents impact men more heavily, ranking third for them, while they fall to sixth among women.
Aging-Related Diseases on the Rise
Alzheimer’s disease ranked sixth with 114,034 deaths, reflecting the country’s aging population. Meanwhile, other chronic conditions such as diabetes (95,190 deaths) and kidney disease (55,253 deaths) also remain significant. Although COVID-19 caused nearly 50,000 deaths in 2023, it now ranks tenth, far below its peak impact earlier in the pandemic.
Chronic Conditions Among Women
For women, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease rank higher than among men, reflecting longevity differences and aging-related health risks. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death for women at 6.2%, compared to fourth for men at 4.4%. Alzheimer’s also ranks higher among women (5.3%) than men (2.2%), consistent with the fact that women live longer on average.
Mental Health and Other Conditions
Suicide appears in the top 10 for men, making up 2.4% of all male deaths, but it does not appear on the female list. Conversely, hypertension ranks tenth among women (1.5%), while it does not appear in the male rankings.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The U.S. States Leading in Organ Donations on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
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