Odainn
Free risk check · real data

What is a 17-year-old boy in Germany most likely to die from?

Move the controls. The answer comes from official mortality statistics for 37 countries in Europe and North America — and it surprises almost everyone.

Country
Age
17
Sex at birth

Official mortality statistics are published by sex at birth, which is why we ask.

Next 12 months
0.03%
1 in 3,231
Next 10 years
0.40%
1 in 252
Life expectancy
79
about 62 more years on average
The surpriseAt 17, the top risk in the next 10 years isn't aging — it's suicide.
Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

  1. 01Suicide24%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
  2. 02Road accidents18%
    0.07% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.47%
  3. 03Accidental poisoning & overdose7.2%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.21%
  4. 04Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)6.8%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
  5. 05Other cancers4.2%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.0%
  6. 06Other accidents4.1%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.99%
  7. 07Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)3.6%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.38%
  8. 08Drug use disorder3.2%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
Show the other 34 causes29% together
  1. 09Leukaemia & lymphoma2.7%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.2%
  2. 10Other causes2.5%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.4%
  3. 11Congenital conditions2.4%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
  4. 12Heart failure & other heart disease2.3%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 9.0%
  5. 13Drowning1.8%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.07%
  6. 14Falls1.8%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.2%
  7. 15Brain cancer1.8%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.61%
  8. 16Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)1.3%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
  9. 17Other digestive disease1.2%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.9%
  10. 18Other mental health conditions1.1%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.33%
  11. 19Homicide1.1%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
  12. 20High blood pressure & other circulatory disease0.97%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.3%
  13. 21Stroke0.97%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.9%
  14. 22Pneumonia & flu0.73%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.4%
  15. 23Other lung disease0.71%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
  16. 24Diabetes0.64%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.6%
  17. 25Colorectal cancer0.54%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.4%
  18. 26COVID-190.51%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.1%
  19. 27Alcohol use disorder0.51%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.77%
  20. 28Liver cancer0.43%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.1%
  21. 29COPD & chronic lung disease0.43%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.9%
  22. 30Heart attack & coronary heart disease0.40%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 14%
  23. 31Complications around birth0.37%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.02%
  24. 32Kidney disease0.31%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
  25. 33Melanoma (skin cancer)0.23%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.36%
  26. 34Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)0.22%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
  27. 35Lung cancer0.20%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.0%
  28. 36Stomach cancer0.15%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.89%
  29. 37Oesophageal cancer0.10%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.83%
  30. 38Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.06%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.89%
  31. 39Prostate cancer0.02%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.1%
  32. 40Kidney cancer0.02%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.60%
  33. 41Bladder cancer0.02%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.85%
  34. 42Dementia & Alzheimer's0.02%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.2%

Some of these risks are about mental health and substances. They are among the most preventable — if you or someone you love is struggling, call TelefonSeelsorge on 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222 — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 17-year-old boy in Germany, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for Germany (2023), Eurostat. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

— send it to someone you love.

Full page with comparisons: men aged 15–19 in Germany

How long people like this live: life expectancy.