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Free risk check · real data

What is a 72-year-old man 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
72
Sex at birth

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

Next 12 months
2.2%
1 in 44
Next 10 years
32%
about 3 in 10
Life expectancy
86
about 14 more years on average
Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

  1. 01Lung cancer8.7%
    2.8% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.0%
  2. 02Heart failure & other heart disease7.9%
    2.5% chance over 10 years · lifetime 13%
  3. 03Heart attack & coronary heart disease7.2%
    2.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.0%
  4. 04Other cancers6.0%
    1.9% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.0%
  5. 05COPD & chronic lung disease5.8%
    1.8% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.6%
  6. 06Stroke5.3%
    1.7% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.3%
  7. 07Dementia & Alzheimer's4.0%
    1.3% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.5%
  8. 08Pneumonia & flu3.7%
    1.2% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.8%
Show the other 36 causes52% together
  1. 09Other digestive disease3.5%
    1.1% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.5%
  2. 10Prostate cancer3.4%
    1.1% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.6%
  3. 11Other lung disease3.1%
    0.98% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.8%
  4. 12Colorectal cancer3.0%
    0.95% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.4%
  5. 13High blood pressure & other circulatory disease3.0%
    0.95% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.9%
  6. 14Leukaemia & lymphoma2.8%
    0.88% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.2%
  7. 15Other causes2.7%
    0.86% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.8%
  8. 16Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)2.7%
    0.84% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.8%
  9. 17Pancreatic cancer2.4%
    0.76% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
  10. 18Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)2.3%
    0.71% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
  11. 19COVID-192.2%
    0.68% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.9%
  12. 20Parkinson's disease2.1%
    0.66% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
  13. 21Kidney disease1.9%
    0.62% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.6%
  14. 22Liver cancer1.8%
    0.58% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.0%
  15. 23Falls1.7%
    0.52% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.2%
  16. 24Other accidents1.5%
    0.48% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
  17. 25Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)1.4%
    0.46% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.68%
  18. 26Diabetes1.4%
    0.45% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  19. 27Bladder cancer1.2%
    0.39% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  20. 28Oesophageal cancer1.2%
    0.39% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.66%
  21. 29Stomach cancer0.91%
    0.29% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.61%
  22. 30Suicide0.87%
    0.28% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.54%
  23. 31Mouth, throat & larynx cancer0.81%
    0.26% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.46%
  24. 32Brain cancer0.75%
    0.24% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.35%
  25. 33Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)0.70%
    0.22% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.42%
  26. 34Kidney cancer0.70%
    0.22% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.53%
  27. 35Alcohol use disorder0.34%
    0.11% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.15%
  28. 36Melanoma (skin cancer)0.32%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.28%
  29. 37Other mental health conditions0.31%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.29%
  30. 38Road accidents0.28%
    0.09% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.16%
  31. 39Accidental poisoning & overdose0.10%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.07%
  32. 40Congenital conditions0.06%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
  33. 41Drowning0.06%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.03%
  34. 42Breast cancer0.05%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.05%
  35. 43Homicide0.02%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%
  36. 44Drug use disorder<0.01%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime <0.01%

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 72-year-old man 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: men aged 70–74 in Belgium

How long people like this live: life expectancy.

What to do about it

Check-ups recommended for a 72-year-old man in Belgium

If you smoke or used to:

If a parent, brother, sister or child had:

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.