{
  "id": 7320702,
  "title": "What are we dying from?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/what-are-we-dying-from",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-14T13:00:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-dying.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Cardiovascular diseases have become the leading cause of death in a rural South African population, accounting for one-third of deaths among adults over 40. This finding is based on a study of over 5,000 middle-aged and older adults in rural Mpumalanga, which was published in Age and Ageing. Over the course of seven years, 1,116 participants (22.1% of the cohort) died, with cardiovascular diseases being responsible for about one-third of those deaths. Men were more than 57% more likely to die from these conditions compared to women. The study also found that infections, cancers, and HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis each accounted for a significant portion of deaths, at 23.8%, 14.4%, and 10.1%, respectively. The researchers noted that while infections and cancers have receded from their epidemic peak, they still accounted for nearly a third of all deaths in the cohort. The study also highlighted the importance of functional limitations, frailty, underweight, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes as risk factors for mortality. The findings suggest that South Africa's health system must manage multiple health concerns simultaneously, rather than moving from one dominant disease burden to another as the population ages.",
  "summary": "Cardiovascular diseases now account for a third of deaths in adults over 40 in a rural South African population.",
  "key_points": [
    "Cardiovascular diseases now leading cause of death in rural South Africa",
    "33% of deaths among adults over 40 attributed to cardiovascular diseases",
    "Men 57% more likely to die from cardiovascular conditions compared to women"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}