While cancer is the biggest cause of death for middle-aged people in the European Union, transport accidents and suicide top the list for young adults. However, circulatory disease remains the biggest cause of death for all age groups taken together, according to the latest statistics released by the EU.
The figures for the years 2001-3 show big variations between member states. Middle-aged deaths from cancer are most common in Central Europe while suicide rates are highest in the Baltic states.
Overall, circulatory diseases were responsible for 41 per cent of all deaths, cancer for 15 per cent, respiratory diseases for 8 per cent, and external causes- such as suicides, homicides and accidents for 5 per cent.
Transport accidents were the highest killer for under-20s (27 per cent), but for the 20-44 age group was almost as common (12 per cent compared to 13 per cent of deaths). Men in the 20-44 age groups were four times more likely than women to kill themselves. In the 45-64 age group cancer accounted for 41 per cent of deaths. Cancer of the respiratory system was responsible for 106 per 100,000 deaths in this age range. However, there were wide variations from 39 in Sweden to 236 in Hungary.
Breast cancer was the most common cancer among middle-aged women with rates varying from 38 per 100,000 in Greece and Spain to 66 in Denmark.
The UK was below average for respiratory system cancer deaths among middle-aged men (68 per 100,000), but above average for breast cancer deaths among women in this age group (53 deaths per 100,000).
Via: BBC