Top three of 54 specific causes of YLDs by age, sex and modified WHO region, 2016
| Region | Age | Men | Women | ||
| Cause | YLD rate (UI) | Cause | YLD rate (UI) | ||
| Global | 0–27 days | Protein–energy malnutrition | 7 (4 to 9) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 6 (4 to 9) |
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 7) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | ||
| 28 days–11 months | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 12 (8 to 18) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 11 (7 to 17) | |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 6 (4 to 8) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 5) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 5) | ||
| 1–4 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 9 (6 to 14) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 9 (6 to 13) | |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 5 (3 to 7) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 5) | ||
| 5–9 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 10 (6 to 15) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 9 (6 to 13) | |
| Asthma | 3 (2 to 5) | Asthma | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 4) | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| 10–14 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 9) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 7 (5 to 10) | |
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 8) | Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| 15–19 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 7) | Depressive disorders | 6 (4 to 9) | |
| Depressive disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 6 (4 to 9) | ||
| Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | Anxiety disorders | 5 (4 to 7) | ||
| African low-income and middle-income countries | 0–27 days | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 9 (5 to 13) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 8 (5 to 11) |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 5 (3 to 8) | Neonatal sepsis and infections | 6 (3 to 11) | ||
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| 28 days–11 months | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 19 (13 to 28) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 18 (12 to 26) | |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 6 (4 to 9) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| 1–4 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 14 (9 to 20) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 13 (9 to 20) | |
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 3 (2 to 5) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 5) | ||
| 5–9 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 12 (7 to 18) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 10 (7 to 15) | |
| Asthma | 4 (2 to 6) | Asthma | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| Other infectious and parasitic diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| 10–14 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 7 (4 to 12) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 7 (4 to 10) | |
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 6 (3 to 9) | Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| 15–19 years | Depressive disorders | 5 (3 to 8) | Depressive disorders | 7 (5 to 10) | |
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 8) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 6 (4 to 10) | ||
| Other infectious and parasitic diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | Anxiety disorders | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| American low-income and middle-income countries | 0–27 days | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 4 (2 to 6) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 7) |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 4 (2 to 6) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (2 to 5) | ||
| 28 days–11 months | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 9 (5 to 15) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 10 (6 to 15) | |
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (4 to 8) | ||
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 3 (2 to 5) | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | ||
| 1–4 years | Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | |
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 8) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 8) | ||
| Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 6) | Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| 5–9 years | Asthma | 5 (3 to 8) | Asthma | 5 (3 to 8) | |
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 4 (2 to 7) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 4) | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| 10–14 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 6 (3 to 9) | Anxiety disorders | 5 (3 to 7) | |
| Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Asthma | 4 (2 to 5) | Asthma | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| 15–19 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 8) | Depressive disorders | 7 (4 to 10) | |
| Alcohol and drug use disorders | 5 (3 to 7) | Anxiety disorders | 6 (4 to 8) | ||
| Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | Migraine | 6 (3 to 8) | ||
| Eastern Mediterranean low-income and middle-income countries | 0–27 days | Protein–energy malnutrition | 7 (4 to 10) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 8 (4 to 13) |
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 9) | ||
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (2 to 8) | Congenital anomalies | 5 (3 to 6) | ||
| 28 days–11 months | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 12 (7 to 21) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 11 (7 to 17) | |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 6 (3 to 10) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 6 (4 to 8) | ||
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 6 (4 to 9) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 5 (3 to 9) | ||
| 1–4 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 10 (5 to 18) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 9 (6 to 14) | |
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 4 (2 to 5) | Congenital anomalies | 4 (3 to 5) | ||
| 5–9 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 11 (5 to 20) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 10 (6 to 15) | |
| Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | Asthma | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| Asthma | 3 (2 to 5) | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | ||
| 10–14 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 6 (3 to 12) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 7 (4 to 12) | |
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 6 (3 to 9) | Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 5) | Migraine | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| 15–19 years | Depressive disorders | 5 (3 to 7) | Depressive disorders | 7 (4 to 10) | |
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 8) | Migraine | 6 (4 to 9) | ||
| Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 6 (3 to 10) | ||
| European low-income and middle-income countries | 0–27 days | Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | Congenital anomalies | 4 (3 to 6) |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 4 (2 to 6) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Congenital anomalies | 4 (3 to 5) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| 28 days–11 months | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 8 (5 to 13) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 8 (5 to 13) | |
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (3 to 8) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| Congenital anomalies | 4 (2 to 5) | Congenital anomalies | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| 1–4 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 8) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 8) | |
| Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | Congenital anomalies | 4 (3 to 5) | ||
| Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 4) | Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 5) | ||
| 5–9 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 3 (2 to 5) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 9) | |
| Asthma | 3 (2 to 5) | Asthma | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 3 (1 to 4) | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | ||
| 10–14 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 6 (3 to 10) | Migraine | 4 (3 to 6) | |
| Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 4) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 4 (2 to 7) | ||
| Anxiety disorders | 3 (2 to 4) | Childhood behavioural disorders | 4 (2 to 7) | ||
| 15–19 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 8) | Migraine | 6 (4 to 9) | |
| Depressive disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | Depressive disorders | 6 (4 to 8) | ||
| Alcohol and drug use disorders | 4 (2 to 6) | Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Southeast Asian low-income and middle-income countries | 0–27 days | Protein–energy malnutrition | 14 (9 to 20) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 14 (9 to 20) |
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 6 (4 to 9) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| Preterm birth complications | 4 (3 to 6) | Preterm birth complications | 4 (2 to 5) | ||
| 28 days–11 months | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 15 (10 to 23) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 14 (9 to 20) | |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 12 (8 to 17) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 12 (8 to 16) | ||
| Diarrhoeal diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| 1–4 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 15 (10 to 22) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 14 (9 to 21) | |
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 11 (7 to 16) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 11 (7 to 16) | ||
| Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 5) | ||
| 5–9 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 19 (12 to 27) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 17 (11 to 25) | |
| Other infectious and parasitic diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Other infectious and parasitic diseases | 3 (2 to 4) | ||
| Preterm birth complications | 3 (2 to 4) | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| 10–14 years | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 9 (5 to 14) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 14 (10 to 20) | |
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 9) | Migraine | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 6) | ||
| 15–19 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 4 (2 to 7) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 13 (9 to 19) | |
| Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | Migraine | 6 (3 to 9) | ||
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 4 (2 to 6) | Depressive disorders | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| Western Pacific low-income and middle-income countries | 0–27 days | Protein–energy malnutrition | 2 (1 to 3) | Congenital anomalies | 2 (1 to 3) |
| Congenital anomalies | 2 (1 to 2) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 2 (1 to 3) | ||
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 2 (1 to 2) | Protein–energy malnutrition | 1 (1 to 2) | ||
| 28 days–11 months | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 3 (2 to 5) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 3 (2 to 5) | |
| Diabetes mellitus, and other endocrine, blood, immune disorders | 2 (1 to 3) | Diabetes mellitus, and other endocrine, blood, immune disorders | 2 (1 to 3) | ||
| Skin diseases | 2 (1 to 2) | Congenital anomalies | 2 (1 to 3) | ||
| 1–4 years | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 4) | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | |
| Diabetes mellitus, and other endocrine, blood, immune disorders | 2 (1 to 3) | Congenital anomalies | 2 (1 to 2) | ||
| Upper respiratory infections and otitis media | 2 (1 to 3) | Upper respiratory infections and otitis media | 2 (1 to 3) | ||
| 5–9 years | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 4) | Asthma | 3 (2 to 5) | |
| Asthma | 3 (2 to 4) | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | ||
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 2 (1 to 3) | Congenital anomalies | 2 (1 to 2) | ||
| 10–14 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 8) | Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | |
| Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 5) | Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| Anxiety disorders | 3 (2 to 4) | Childhood behavioural disorders | 2 (1 to 4) | ||
| 15–19 years | Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 7) | Skin diseases | 5 (3 to 7) | |
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 4 (2 to 6) | Depressive disorders | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| Depressive disorders | 3 (2 to 5) | Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| High-income countries | 0–27 days | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) |
| Upper respiratory infections and otitis media | 1 (1 to 2) | Upper respiratory infections and otitis media | 1 (1 to 2) | ||
| Protein–energy malnutrition | 1 (1 to 2) | Diarrhoeal diseases | 1 (1 to 2) | ||
| 28 days–11 months | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | Iron-deficiency anaemia | 3 (2 to 6) | |
| Iron-deficiency anaemia | 2 (1 to 5) | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | ||
| Upper respiratory infections and otitis media | 2 (1 to 4) | Upper respiratory infections and otitis media | 2 (1 to 4) | ||
| 1–4 years | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 5) | |
| Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | Congenital anomalies | 3 (2 to 4) | ||
| Upper respiratory infections and otitis media | 3 (1 to 4) | Upper respiratory infections and otitis media | 3 (1 to 4) | ||
| 5–9 years | Asthma | 4 (2 to 6) | Asthma | 3 (2 to 5) | |
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 3 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 3 (2 to 4) | ||
| Congenital anomalies | 2 (2 to 3) | Anxiety disorders | 2 (2 to 3) | ||
| 10–14 years | Childhood behavioural disorders | 6 (3 to 9) | Anxiety disorders | 6 (4 to 8) | |
| Anxiety disorders | 4 (3 to 5) | Depressive disorders | 5 (3 to 7) | ||
| Skin diseases | 4 (2 to 5) | Skin diseases | 4 (3 to 6) | ||
| 15–19 years | Alcohol and drug use disorders | 7 (4 to 9) | Depressive disorders | 11 (7 to 16) | |
| Depressive disorders | 5 (4 to 8) | Anxiety disorders | 7 (5 to 10) | ||
| Childhood behavioural disorders | 5 (3 to 8) | Migraine | 6 (4 to 9) | ||
UI, uncertainty interval; YLD, years lost due to disability.