Causes of death

News

Fewer and fewer deaths from diabetes

Population
Fewer and fewer deaths from diabetes

14th November is World Diabetes Day.

In the past 20 years, the number of deaths due to diabetes mellitus has decreased in Belgium, according to the figures of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office. In 1998, 1,671 Belgians died from diabetes. In 2016, the disease claimed the lives of 1,445 persons, i.e. 1.3 % of all deaths. In 1998, this figure was 1.6 %.

Twenty years ago, two thirds of the victims were women: in 1998, 1,033 women and 638 men died from diabetes. In 2016, more female than male diabetes patients died, but the difference is smaller: 766 women and 679 men have succumbed to the disease.

Evolution of the number of deaths from diabetes mellitus compared to the total number of deaths.

Belgium, from 1998 to 2016 1998 % 2016 %
Number of deaths Total 104,426 100 108,056 100
Men 51,925 100 53,296 100
Women 52,484 100 54,760 100
Unknown 17 100 0 0
Number of deaths from diabetes mellitus Total 1,671 1.6% 1,445 1.3%
Men 638 1.2% 679 1.3%
Women 1,033 2.0% 766 1.4%
Deaths
Content

Belgium - Deaths by sex and by region, 2016

  Men Women Total
Brussels-Capital Region 4,326 4,740 9,066
Flemish Region 30,448 30,465 60,913
Walloon Region 18,522 19,555 38,077
Belgium 53,296 54,760 108,056
Causes
Content

Belgium - Deaths by sex and by region, for some groups of causes, 2016

  Men Women Total
Number of cases % Number of cases % Number of cases %
Brussels-Capital Region All causes 4,326 100,0% 4,740 100,0% 9,066 100,0%
Diseases of the circulatory system 1,032 23,9% 1,301 27,4% 2,333 25,7%
Tumours 1,167 27,0% 1,063 22,4% 2,230 24,6%
Diseases of the respiratory system 455 10,5% 501 10,6% 956 10,5%
Suicides 88 2,0% 39 0,8% 127 1,4%
Flemish Region All causes 30,448 100,0% 30,465 100,0% 60,913 100,0%
Diseases of the circulatory system 8,009 26,3% 9,355 30,7% 17,364 28,5%
Tumours 9,506 31,2% 7,293 23,9% 16,799 27,6%
Diseases of the respiratory system 3,456 11,4% 2,777 9,1% 6,233 10,2%
Suicides 751 2,5% 294 1,0% 1,045 1,7%
Walloon Region All causes 18,522 100,0% 19,555 100,0% 38,077 100,0%
Diseases of the circulatory system 4,671 25,2% 5,566 28,5% 10,237 26,9%
Tumours 5,242 28,3% 4,289 21,9% 9,531 24,8%
Diseases of the respiratory system 2,064 11,1% 1,950 10,0% 4,014 10,5%
Suicides 521 2,8% 210 1,1% 731 1,9%
Belgium All causes 53,296 100,0% 54,760 100,0% 108,056 100,0%
Diseases of the circulatory system 13,712 25,7% 16,222 29,6% 29,934 27,7%
Tumours 15,915 29,9% 12,645 23,1% 28,560 26,4%
Diseases of the respiratory system 5,975 11,2% 5,228 9,5% 11,203 10,4%
Suicides 1,360 2,6% 543 1,0% 1,903 1,8%
Open Data
Downloads