These Are the Leading Causes of Death in the U.S.—COVID-19 Drops to No. 10
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released its annual list of causes of death in the U.S.
The leading cause of death has changed in recent years.
COVID-19 has plummeted to No.10.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the leading causes of death for 2023, and there are some surprises in the mix. While COVID-19 has been a major cause for years, the virus plummeted to number 10.
Information on the leading causes of death was published in JAMA, and the researchers note that this year marks a “shift” in the top causes of death. Why? The leading causes of death were fairly consistent for years until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Once the pandemic started, the virus was the third leading cause of death in 2020 and the years following—until now.
Meet the experts: Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., is an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security; Yu-Ming Ni, M.D., is a board-certified cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA; Perry N. Halkitis, Ph.D., is dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health
It seems morbid, and maybe even a little weird, to cover the main ways people die in the U.S., but doctors say it’s important to at least be aware so you can take precaution when possible. These are the leading causes of death in the U.S. in 2023, plus why it matters.
What are the leading causes of death?
The CDC compiles the leading causes of death from the National Vital Statistics System. Based on the findings, these are the leading causes of death in 2023:
1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Unintentional injury
4. Stroke
5. Chronic lower respiratory diseases
6. Alzheimer’s disease
7. Diabetes
8. Kidney disease
9. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
10. COVID-19
The study included a chart that shows movement in the rankings of the leading causes of death from 2019 to 2023, and there were a few changes in the mix.
While heart disease and cancer have held steady at one and two, respectively, unintentional injuries moved back up to the third leading cause of death after spending years in fourth place. Stroke also moved up, along with nearly everything else with the exception of influenza and pneumonia, which dropped below the top 10 for the first time in years.
Perry N. Halkitis, Ph.D., dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, says this is a “different landscape” than what it was four years ago. “It is not surprising to see COVID-19 dropping on the list, given the effective prevention strategies rolled out by public health,” he says. But Halkitis also says that “chronic disease continue to be part of the large constellation of diseases that affect Americans,” as infectious diseases drop.
Why did COVID-19 drop so much?
Deaths from COVID-19 didn’t just drop—they plummeted. “COVID-19 has fallen as a leading cause of death due to the tools of science and medicine. Namely, vaccines, treatments, and knowledge,” says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
This acts “in synergy” with the level of immunity people have built up from being vaccinated and previously infected with the virus, Dr. Adalja says.
“This has made COVID-19 something that is eminently manageable in a way that it wasn’t when it first appeared,” he continues. “The most significant aspect of this data is how it illustrates the power of science to quickly tame what once was a leading cause of death.”
But this doesn’t mean that people should write COVID-19 off, says Yu-Ming Ni, M.D., board-certified cardiologist and lipidologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. “People should not take away from this that they don’t need to worry about COVID anymore,” he says. “We still have to be cautious about COVID. You never know when it might mutate and be more problematic.” And, for some populations (like those categorized as high-risk), it remains dangerous.
What should people take away from this information?
There are certain things with your health that you can only do so much about, especially if you have a family history of a certain disease. But the data indicates that following a healthy lifestyle could lower the risk that you’ll die prematurely from certain leading causes of death.
Cardiovascular health is a big thing to focus on, based on the findings, Dr. Ni says. Halkitis agrees. “Americans need to continue to focus on enacting health behaviors that provide protection for their cardiovascular health,” he says. To boost yours, Dr. Ni recommends following the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Life’s Essential 8. “I talk to my patients about this all of the time,” he says. Those recommendations include:
Aiming to get 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week.
Avoiding tobacco products, including traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vaping.
Trying to get seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
Managing weight (your doctor should be able to provide personalized guidance on where you stand with your weight and health if you’re unsure).
Limiting intake of sugary foods and drinks, red or processed meats, salty food, refined carbohydrates, and highly processed foods to try to keep your cholesterol levels in check.
Managing blood sugar.
Trying to keep your blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg.
Dr. Ni also points out that these recommendations are similar to lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of developing cancer and type 2 diabetes. “A lot of these things overlap,” he says.
As for COVID-19, Dr. Adalja recommends that you stay up to date on your vaccinations. And, if you’re high risk for serious complications from the virus, talk to your doctor about your options, including antiviral treatments.
But Halkitis says that the findings indicate the importance of taking a 360 approach to health. “Unintentional deaths being so high is an indication of a complex situation that exists between all aspects of health,” he says. “That, coupled with suicide, indicates that we cannot focus solely on physical aspects.”
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