Top 10 Leading Causes of Death in the World (Updated)

Fear of dying is natural and healthy. It can help us respond to danger more quickly or avoid dangerous situations altogether. The statistics around causes of death are imperative and vital in determining and monitoring the health status of populations and identifying critical priorities for various health systems. Knowing the odds is the first step in beating them; from The Daily Top 10, we will explore the Top 10 Leading Causes of Death in the World.

What is the #1 Leading Cause of Death in the World?

In the epidemiological framework of the Global Burden of Disease study, each death has one specific cause. As well as in their own words, each death is attributed to a single underlying cause that initiated the series of events leading to death. This is different from the deaths that happened due to risk factors. These deaths estimate the reduction of the number of deaths that would be achieved if the risk factors exposed to a population were eliminated or reduced to an optimal, healthy level.

In this article, we expand on each of the leading causes of death. We also rank the causes according to the number of deaths per the condition of the overall registered death count worldwide. Therefore, don’t miss to check our list of the Top 10 Leading Causes of Death in the World in detail and add something new to your mind.

TOP 10: Natural Disasters

A natural disaster is a sudden event that always causes widespread destruction, major collateral damage, or loss of life brought about by forces other than the acts of human beings. It might be caused by earthquakes, flooding, volcanic eruptions, landslides, hurricanes, etc.

Whatever the cause is, natural disasters have become a big threat to all the people in the world, which lead to one of the main causes of death. According to Statista, natural disasters kill, on average, 45,000 people per year globally.

TOP 9: Road Accidents

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 1.3 million people die in road accidents yearly. More than half of all road traffic deaths are among vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. Car crashes have become the leading cause of death for people between 5 and 29 years old, costing the global economy up to $500 billion annually.

This preventable epidemic hits the poorest hardest and is killing the next generation. WHO also stated that the accident death rate in 2022 was around 200,955. Most (93%) of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, even though these countries have only about 60% of the world’s vehicles.

TOP 8: Influenza and Pneumonia

Influenza is a common cause of pneumonia, especially among younger children, the elderly, pregnant women, or those with certain chronic health conditions or who live in nursing homes. Most flu cases never lead to pneumonia, but those that do tend to be more severe and deadly. The Flu constricts and inflames the airways in your body. This inflammation can cause an increase in your body’s mucus production. A buildup of bacteria would then form in your healthy body.

According to Statista, during the 2021-2022 influenza season, CDC estimates that influenza was associated with 9 million illnesses, 4 million medical visits, 10,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths.

TOP 7: Terrorism

Terrorism is often defined as unlawful violence or the systematic use of terror against civilians or politicians for ideological or political reasons to create fear. It is practiced by nationalistic groups, religious groups, revolutionaries, and ruling governments. The worst fact about terrorism is the fear of terrorism is still instilled in many people’s minds.

In general, after terrorist acts, people suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and major depression. According to the Global Terrorism Index, 29,389 people were killed by terrorists in 2022.

TOP 6: Suicide

Death by suicide is an extremely complex issue that causes pain to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year. Every suicide is a tragedy. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease study estimate that almost 800,000 people die from suicide yearly, and that’s one person every 40 seconds.

According to the World Population Review, an estimated 703,000 people a year take their life around the world. For every suicide, there are likely 20 other people making a suicide attempt, and many more have serious thoughts of suicide.

TOP 5: Malnutrition

The rate of death caused by malnutrition is a sky-high 42.27 deaths per 100,000 people. This rate is often attributed to the food insecurity caused by the near-constant civil wars in the country. Food shipments have been interrupted, and agricultural areas have been heavily shelled, bombed, and mined.

According to the Global Hunger Index 2022, which was adopted by the International Food Policy Research Institute, combining three indicators, undernourishment, child underweight, and child mortality, Yemen was the most affected by hunger and malnutrition, with an index of 45.1. The Central African Republic followed with an index of 44.

TOP 4: Smoking

Smoking causes stroke and coronary heart disease, which are among the leading causes of death in the world. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year. More than 7 million of those deaths result from direct tobacco use, while around 1.2 million are from non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke.

According to the World Health Organization, over 80% of the world’s 1.3 billion tobacco users live in low- and middle-income countries. This is the latest available WHO estimate as of June 2022. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use. The number of deaths from smoking worldwide in 2022 is 7.69 million.

TOP 3: Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body, such as the kidney, spine, and brain. Every year, 10 million people fall ill with tuberculosis, and despite being a preventable and curable disease, 1.5 million people die from TB each year, making it the world’s top infectious killer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with tuberculosis in 2022, an increase of 4.5% from 2020, and 1.6 million people died from TB, according to the World Health Organization’s 2022 Global TB report.

TOP 2: Cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2022. The most common causes of cancer deaths are;

• Lung (1.80 million deaths)
• Colon and rectum (916 000 deaths)
• Liver (830 000 deaths)
• Stomach (769 000 deaths)
• Breast (685 000 deaths)

Each year, approximately 400 000 children develop cancer. According to Statista, the most common type of cancer on the list is breast cancer, with 290,560 new cases expected worldwide. The next most common cancers are prostate cancer and lung cancer because colon and rectal cancers are often referred to as colorectal cancers.

TOP 1: Heart diseases

Topping the list of the world’s most deadly diseases is Ischaemic heart disease, more commonly known as coronary artery disease. Responsible for nearly 9 million deaths yearly, heart disease is caused by a build-up of fatty deposits on the wall of the arteries, usually attributed to lifestyle choices or other conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

This disease is deadly as the patient’s arteries become narrowed, restricting blood and oxygen flow to the heart and potentially leading to a fatal heart attack. Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death globally. According to Professional Heart Daily, an estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2022, representing 32% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% were due to heart attack and stroke, and the USA has the highest number of deaths from heart disease.

What are the Leading Causes of Death in the World?

It is important to know why people die to improve how people live. Measuring how many people die each year helps assess our health systems’ effectiveness and direct resources to where they are needed most. As well as cause-of-death data is important for surveillance, research, design of public health and medical interventions, and funding decisions for research and development.

For your cognizance, here is the recap of the Top 10 Leading Causes of Death in the World:

1. Heart diseases
2. Cancer
3. Tuberculosis
4. Smoking
5. Malnutrition
6. Suicide
7. Terrorism
8. Influenza and pneumonia
9. Road accidents
10. Natural Disasters

Due to these main causes, people in the world are dying in abundance. But we can minimize the number of deaths from some of these deadly causes by taking steps to reduce the factors that lead to these deaths.

Similarly, if you want to know the Top 10 Leading Causes of Death in Germany, we will share them through The Daily Top 10, the World’s #1 Source of Research-Based Content. So be ready to be updated with more informative research-based content by subscribing to our Newsletter!