What Drives Mortality — And What You Can Change
Explore the metabolic, behavioural, and environmental risk factors behind global deaths. See how much of each country's mortality burden is attributable to modifiable risks.
| Cause | Death Rate | Modifiable % | Est. Preventable Rate | Key Risk Factors |
|---|
Population-attributable fractions (PAFs) shown here are approximate global averages from GBD 2024 published summaries. Actual country-level PAFs vary based on local risk factor prevalence. These estimates provide a general framework for understanding the relative contribution of modifiable risk factors — they are not precise country-specific calculations.
Mortality Risk Factor Attribution
What drives global death rates? Modifiable risks behind the numbers
Behind every cause of death lies a set of modifiable risk factors. High blood pressure contributes to heart disease and stroke. Tobacco drives lung cancer and COPD. Poor diet increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The Risk Factors tool quantifies these relationships using IHME comparative risk assessment data.
Explore metabolic risks (blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, BMI), behavioural risks (smoking, alcohol, diet, physical inactivity), and environmental risks (air pollution, unsafe water, occupational hazards). See which risk factors drive the most deaths in any country and how that burden has changed since 1990.
What are the biggest modifiable risk factors for death?
High systolic blood pressure, tobacco use, high fasting plasma glucose, and dietary risks are consistently the leading modifiable risk factors for death globally. Air pollution (both ambient and household) also contributes significantly, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
How many deaths are attributable to smoking?
Tobacco use is responsible for approximately 8 million deaths per year worldwide, according to IHME estimates. It is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease. Use the Risk Factors tool to see country-specific smoking-attributable mortality.
What is risk factor attribution in mortality data?
Risk factor attribution estimates the proportion of deaths that can be linked to specific modifiable exposures. The IHME Global Burden of Disease Study uses comparative risk assessment frameworks to calculate how many deaths would be prevented if risk factor exposure were reduced to theoretical minimum levels.
Do risk factors differ between rich and poor countries?
Yes, substantially. High-income countries face higher burdens from metabolic risks (obesity, high blood sugar) and tobacco, while low-income countries are more affected by environmental risks like unsafe water, household air pollution, and child malnutrition.