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Newborn -

Infant mortality rates are fairly high in the US when compared to other developed countries. This might have to do with socioeconomic inequality and access to health services.  

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Newborn -

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading causes of death in newborns include birth defects, low birth weight, maternal pregnancy complications, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and unintentional injuries. 

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Up to age 1 -

According to the CDC, in 2019, infant mortality in the US (which occurs any time before a child's first birthday) was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 births. This number, however, includes newborns as well.

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Up to age 1 -

One in every 33 babies born in the US suffers from birth defects, which is the leading cause of infant death. These include numerous heart defects, as well as other serious conditions such as spina bifida (neural tube defect in the spine), and trisomy (chromosomal condition).

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Ages 1 to 4 -

The leading cause of death in toddlers is unintentional injury. This includes things such as being crushed by a piece of furniture, choking,  and drowning, among others.

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Ages 1 to 4 -

This is natural as kids in this age group are more adventurous and therefore more likely to get injured, even at home. Other causes of death include undiagnosed problems (e.g. heart defects).

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Ages 5 to 9 -

As kids grow older, other unintentional injuries pose a threat. Things like car accidents become more common at this age. According to the CDC, many such deaths were preventable. E.g. not wearing seatbelts or being driven by a person under the influence. 

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Ages 5 to 9 -

This is also the age some children start to get cancer. Leukemia, brain tumors, lymphomas, neuroblastoma, kidney cancer, and bone cancer are among the biggest killers. 

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Ages 10 to 14 -

Being a teenager is not easy and the early years of school are sometimes marked by episodes of bullying which can have a very negative effect on some children's mental health, who may end up taking their own lives as a result.  

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Ages 10 to 14 -

In addition to this, motor vehicle accidents continue to rank high as a cause of death in this age group.  

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Ages 15 to 24 -

Motor vehicle accidents top the cause of death ranking for this age group. The younger the driver, the higher the death rate. Young drivers don't always wear seatbelts, are more easily distracted by their phones, and are more likely to speed.

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Ages 15 to 24 -

Violent crime also makes the list, with homicide being listed as a major cause of death in young adults, many of them, by firearm.

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Ages 25 to 34 -

Unintentional injury tops the list as the major cause of death in this age group. However, motor vehicle accidents are replaced by accidental poisonings as the leading cause. 

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Ages 25 to 34 -

Accidental poisonings include alcohol and drugs (both illegal and prescription). Though other types of poisoning, such as pesticide or carbon monoxide poisoning, are also included.

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Ages 35 to 44 -

Unintentional poisoning deaths and motor vehicle deaths top the list as the main causes of death of people in this age group. 

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Ages 35 to 44 -

However, another one creeps up: heart disease. This is also the age group where cancer starts to rank higher on the list. 

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Ages 45 to 54 -

Unintentional injuries do go down when people reach this age, but chronic diseases start to creep up. In total, cancer tops the list as the #1 killer of Americans aged 45 to 54. The most common types include lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and bladder cancer.

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Ages 45 to 54 -

Heart disease comes in second place. Age, gender, genetic factors, and lifestyle, do play a role in how vulnerable a person in this age group is. 

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Ages 55 to 64 -

Those aged 55 to 64 most often die of cancer and heart disease. 

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Ages 55 to 64 -

In 2020, COVID-19 entered the top 3 as one of the leading causes of death, making it the only infectious disease to do so in many years. 

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Ages 65 to 74 -

A more sedentary lifestyle adopted by people in this age group, sometimes triggered by mobility issues, is one of the reasons why heart disease is such a prolific killer. 

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Ages 65 to 74 -

Cancer falls to position #2 for those aged 65 to 74.

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Ages 75 to 84 -

In addition to the conditions previously mentioned, Alzheimer's disease starts to take a toll on those aged 75 to 84. 

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Ages 75 to 84 -

People in this age group are also more likely to be hospitalized and die from less serious illnesses like influenza. Still, cancer and heart disease are the big killers. 

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Aged 85+ -

Heart disease still kills the most people aged 85 or above, though cancer continues to claim the lives of those who reach this age.

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Aged 85+ -

Another killer is Alzheimer's. In 2021 alone, 36.4% of all Alzheimer's deaths occurred in people of this age group. 

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100 -

If you live to celebrate your 100th birthday, should you even worry about how you're going to die? Okay, if you really want to know the stats,  heart disease still ranks as the top killer. 

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100 -

Centenarians are also at a higher risk of dying of stroke, cancer, and influenza, among others.  

Sources: (Grunge) (Insider)

See also: The most common ways to die in 1800s America

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