Adults Dying
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claimed 3.0 million lives in 2016, while lung cancer (along with trachea and bronchus cancers) caused 1.7 million deaths. Diabetes killed 1.6 million people in 2016, up from less than 1 million in 2000. Deaths due to dementias more than doubled between 2000 and 2016, making it the 5th leading cause of global deaths in 2016 compared to 14th in 2000.
Lower respiratory infections remained the most deadly communicable disease, causing 3.0 million deaths worldwide in 2016. The death rate from diarrhoeal diseases decreased by almost 1 million between 2000 and 2016, but still caused 1.4 million deaths in 2016. Similarly, the number of tuberculosis deaths decreased during the same period, but is still among the top 10 causes with a death toll of 1.3 million. HIV/AIDS is no longer among the world’s top 10 causes of death, having killed 1.0 million people in 2016 compared with 1.5 million in 2000.
Road injuries killed 1.4 million people in 2016, about three-quarters (74%) of whom were men and boys.
Causes of Adult Deaths
Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive lung disease and lower respiratory infections have remained the top killers during the past decade. Chronic diseases cause increasing numbers of deaths worldwide. Diabetes caused 1.6 million (2.8%) deaths in 2015, up from 1.0 million (1.8%) deaths in 2000. Deaths due to dementias more than doubled between 2000 and 2015, making it the 7th leading cause of global deaths in 2015. Injuries continue to kill 5 million people each year. Road traffic injuries claimed about 3700 lives each day in 2015, about three-quarters of whom were men and boys.
[Source: WHO]