Behavioral Causes of Preventable Death

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association

Lifestyle choices or modifiable, behaviors are major causes of mortality in the United States. A lifestyle choice or modifiable behavior is something that a person has some control over whether or not he or she will do that behavior.
In 2000 well over a third of all deaths in the United States could be attributed to a limited number of largely preventable behaviors and exposures including smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity and alcohol consumption.

Changing these modifiable behaviors can increase a person's life expectancy or longevity and prevent early deaths.

1. Tobacco Use (Smoking)
Tobacco use (smoking) resulted in 435,000 deaths or 18.1% of the total deaths.

2. Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity
Poor diet and physical inactivity lead to 365,000 deaths or 15.2% of the total deaths.
This is a corrected value from the often cited originally published and later corrected, incorrect values of 400,000 and 16.6%.

3. Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol consumption resulted in 85,000 deaths or 3.5% of the total deaths.

4. Microbial Agents
Microbial agents resulted in 75,000 deaths or 3.1% of the total deaths.

5. Toxic Agents
Toxic agents resulted in 55,000 deaths or 2.3% of the total deaths.

6. Motor Vehicle Crashes
Motor vehicle crashes resulted in 43,000 deaths or 1.8% of the total deaths.

7. Incidents Involving Firearms
Incidents involving firearms resulted in 29,000 deaths or 1.2% of the total.

8. Sexual behaviors
Sexual behaviors resulted in 20,000 deaths or 0.8% of the total.

9. Illicit Use of Drugs
Illicit use of drugs resulted in 17,000 deaths or 0.7% of the total deaths.

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