Preventable Causes of Death

The preventable causes of death in 2005 in the United States: comparative risk assessment of dietary, lifestyle, and metabolic risk factors.

Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.

1. Tobacco smoking was responsible for an estimated 467,000 or 1 in 5 deaths

2. High Blood Pressure 395,000 deaths, accounting for 1 in 6 deaths

3. Overweight-obesity 216,000 or 1 in 10 deaths

4. Physical inactivity 191,000 or nearly 1 in 10 deaths.

5. High dietary salt 102,000

6. Alcohol abuse 90,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases, cancers, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, alcohol use disorders, road traffic and other injuries, and violence.

7. Low dietary omega-3 fatty acids 84,000

8. High dietary trans fatty acids 82,000

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