High youth death rates are an ‘emerging crisis’, global health study warns

Half of the world’s disease burden is preventable, if factors such as high blood pressure, air pollution, smoking or obesity are addressed, the study said. Photograph: Gregg Vignal/Alamy

The world faces “an emerging crisis” of higher death rates among teenagers and young adults, according to a major study on the causes of death and disability worldwide.

The reasons vary from drug and alcohol use, and suicide in North America, to infectious diseases and injuries in sub-Saharan Africa, the researchers said, but warned that their data should serve as “a wake-up call”.