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. 2002 Jun 15;324(7351):1444–1447. doi: 10.1136/bmj.324.7351.1444

Table 1.

 Leading causes of disability adjusted life years (DALYs)* worldwide in 19902

Causes
Rank
Percentage of total
Lower respiratory infections 1 8.2
Diarrhoeal diseases 2 7.2
Perinatal conditions 3 6.7
Unipolar major depression 4 3.7
Ischaemic heart disease 5 3.4
Cerebrovascular disease 6 2.8
Tuberculosis 7 2.8
Measles 8 2.6
Road traffic crashes 9 2.5
Congenital abnormalities 10 2.4
*

DALYs are indicators of the time lived with a disability and the time lost to premature mortality. 

Primarily or exclusively childhood diseases.