Odainn
Free risk check · real data

What is a 17-year-old boy 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
17
Sex at birth

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

Next 12 months
0.02%
1 in 4,345
Next 10 years
0.36%
1 in 275
Life expectancy
81
about 64 more years on average
The surpriseAt 17, the top risk in the next 10 years isn't aging — it's suicide.
Most likely causes

Share of all deaths in the next 10 years.

  1. 01Suicide27%
    0.10% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.7%
  2. 02Road accidents21%
    0.08% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.52%
  3. 03Other accidents7.7%
    0.03% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.9%
  4. 04Other injuries (incl. undetermined intent)4.2%
    0.02% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.78%
  5. 05Other neurological disease (e.g. epilepsy)3.9%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.1%
  6. 06Drowning3.9%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.09%
  7. 07Accidental poisoning & overdose3.7%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.26%
  8. 08Homicide3.5%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.07%
Show the other 24 causes25% together
  1. 09Falls3.4%
    0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.2%
  2. 10Leukaemia & lymphoma2.7%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.2%
  3. 11Other cancers2.3%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.2%
  4. 12Congenital conditions2.2%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.12%
  5. 13Heart failure & other heart disease2.0%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 11%
  6. 14Other lung disease1.7%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.4%
  7. 15Brain cancer1.5%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.62%
  8. 16Drug use disorder1.4%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.08%
  9. 17Other digestive disease1.1%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.5%
  10. 18Other causes0.85%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 3.4%
  11. 19COVID-190.80%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.5%
  12. 20High blood pressure & other circulatory disease0.70%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.9%
  13. 21Lung cancer0.70%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 6.1%
  14. 22Stomach cancer0.55%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.68%
  15. 23Other mental health conditions0.55%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.35%
  16. 24Heart attack & coronary heart disease0.45%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 7.1%
  17. 25Alcohol use disorder0.45%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 0.41%
  18. 26Infections (e.g. sepsis, hepatitis, HIV)0.40%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 2.3%
  19. 27Liver cancer0.40%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.2%
  20. 28Diabetes0.30%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.3%
  21. 29Liver disease (incl. alcohol-related)0.30%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 1.4%
  22. 30Stroke0.25%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.9%
  23. 31COPD & chronic lung disease0.15%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 4.5%
  24. 32Pneumonia & flu0.15%
    <0.01% chance over 10 years · lifetime 5.0%

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 17-year-old boy 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 15–19 in Belgium

How long people like this live: life expectancy.