Fact Sheet

Physical Inactivity and Poor Nutrition Catching up to Tobacco as Actual Cause of Death

In 2000, the most common actual causes of death in the United States were tobacco (435,000), poor diet and physical inactivity (400,000), alcohol consumption (85,000), microbial agents (e.g., influenza and pneumonia, 75,000), toxic agents (e.g., pollutants, asbestos, etc., 55,000), motor vehicle accidents (43,000), firearms (29,000), sexual behavior (20,000) and illicit use of drugs (17,000).

Actual causes of death are defined as lifestyle and behavioral factors such as smoking and physical inactivity that contribute to this nation’s leading killers including heart disease, cancer and stroke.
 

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This page last updated March 9, 2004
URL: http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/fs040309.htm

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