Free risk check · real data

What is a 42-year-old woman in Belgium 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

Sex at birth

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

Next 12 months

0.08%

1 in 1,228

Next 10 years

1.4%

1 in 73

Life expectancy

about 43 more years on average

Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

01Breast cancer13%
0.18% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.7%
02Suicide8.4%
0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.44%
03Lung cancer6.6%
0.09% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.5%
04Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)6.0%
0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.68%
05Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)5.1%
0.07% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
06Other cancers4.7%
0.06% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.4%
07Colorectal cancer3.9%
0.05% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.1%
08Stroke3.2%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.5%

Show the other 37 causes49% together

09Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)3.0%
0.04% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.45%
10High blood pressure & other circulatory disease2.5%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.7%
11Pancreatic cancer2.4%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
12Heart attack & coronary heart disease2.4%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.5%
13Heart failure & other heart disease2.3%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 14%
14Other digestive disease2.3%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.0%
15Brain cancer2.2%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.40%
16Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)2.2%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.8%
17Cervical cancer2.1%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.21%
18Uterine & ovarian cancer2.0%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.6%
19Other causes2.0%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.8%
20Leukaemia & lymphoma1.8%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
21COPD & chronic lung disease1.8%
0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.5%
22Stomach cancer1.8%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.43%
23Accidental poisoning & overdose1.7%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
24Liver cancer1.5%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.64%
25Other mental health conditions1.5%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.48%
26Congenital conditions1.3%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.10%
27Other lung disease1.3%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.1%
28Pneumonia & flu1.2%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.0%
29Road accidents1.2%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.13%
30Falls1.1%
0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
31Melanoma (skin cancer)1.0%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.26%
32Alcohol use disorder0.88%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.15%
33Other accidents0.84%
0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.1%
34Kidney disease0.59%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
35Homicide0.56%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
36Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.51%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.33%
37Diabetes0.51%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
38Bladder cancer0.48%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.39%
39COVID-190.45%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
40Kidney cancer0.43%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.33%
41Oesophageal cancer0.30%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.38%
42Drug use disorder0.29%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.02%
43Dementia & Alzheimer's0.21%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 9.8%
44Drowning0.21%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
45Parkinson's disease0.15%
<0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.1%

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 1813 (Zelfmoordlijn) or 0800 32 123 (Centre de Prévention du Suicide) — free and confidential, any time (or findahelpline.com).

For people like a 42-year-old woman in Belgium, not a personal prediction. Based on official mortality data for Belgium (2023), Eurostat. Personal risk also depends on health and habits.

— send it to someone you love.

Full page with comparisons: women aged 40–44 in Belgium

How long people like this live: life expectancy.

What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for a 42-year-old woman in Belgium

Blood pressure check
every year from 40 (every 3 years before)
Cervical screening (HPV test)
every 5 years, ages 30–64 (HPV test)
Blood sugar test (diabetes)
every 3 years from 35

If a parent, brother, sister or child had:

Bowel cancer in the family — earlier bowel check
often a colonoscopy every 5 years from 40 (or 10 years before your relative's age at diagnosis, if earlier) · ask your doctor
Early heart attack or stroke in the family — cholesterol & heart-risk check
now, whatever your age — then as advised · ask your doctor
Breast or ovarian cancer in the family — risk check and genetic counselling
ask your doctor once — you may be offered earlier mammograms (often yearly from 40) or a gene test

Based on the Belgian regional screening programmes, INAMI/RIZIV rules and European guidelines. Your doctor may suggest more, or sooner, depending on your health. Educational, not medical advice.

Make it personal

Do you smoke?

We never store your answer with anything that identifies you — it stays on this device until you create an account, then carries over. Educational, not medical advice.