The following six lists from the CDC on Women’s Health contain the statistics for the leading causes of death in females age 35 and up according to nationality in the United States. These years are the primary menopausal years. Those top three maladies are heart disease, cancer and stroke and are consistent across the board with the exception of #3 for women of American Indian or Alaskan decent.
Those top three diseases greatly affect quality of life and can age a person prematurely taking years off a woman’s life. However, these diseases are for the most part caused by poor life style choices ranging from unhealthy dietary habits, lack of exercise, being over weight, excessive alcohol usage and smoking.
These are diseases that we can do something about, while changing ones life long habits are not always easy, they can be transforming. At the time in a woman’s life when she should be enjoying life to the fullest, often times she’s battling one of these or a host of other diseases unnecessarily. Looking at these charts is an eye-opener for me and has helped me to renew my commitment to eating better and losing the weight that seems to have taken up residence on various area’s of my body. I know it’s not going to be easy but the benefits far outweigh the small period of discomfort of having to change. A very important added side note is that included in the benefits of lifestyle changes are the reduction in menopausal symptoms.
Please feel free to print these charts and use them to help motivate you to a healthier life.
| All Females, All Ages | % |
| 1. Heart disease | 25.8 |
| 2. Cancer | 22.0 |
| 3. Stroke | 6.7 |
| 4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 5.3 |
| 5. Alzheimer’s disease | 4.2 |
| 6. Unintentional injuries | 3.5 |
| 7. Diabetes | 3.0 |
| 8. Influenza and pneumonia | 3.5 |
| 9. Kidney disease | 1.9 |
| 10. Septicemia | 1.5 |
| White Females, All Ages | % |
| 1. Heart disease | 26.0 |
| 2. Cancer | 22.0 |
| 3. Stroke | 6.7 |
| 4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 5.8 |
| 5. Alzheimer’s disease | 4.5 |
| 6. Unintentional injuries | 3.5 |
| 7. Diabetes | 2.7 |
| 8. Influenza and pneumonia | 2.6 |
| 9. Kidney disease | 1.7 |
| 10. Septicemia | 1.4 |
| Black Females, All Ages | % |
| 1. Heart disease | 25.5 |
| 2. Cancer | 21.6 |
| 3. Stroke | 6.8 |
| 4. Diabetes | 5.0 |
| 5. Kidney disease | 3.2 |
| 6. Unintentional injuries | 3.1 |
| 7. Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 2.5 |
| 8. Septicemia | 2.4 |
| 9. Alzheimer’s disease | 2.3 |
| 10. Influenza and pneumonia | 2.0 |
| American Indian or Alaska Native Females, All Ages | % |
| 1. Cancer | 19.2 |
| 2. Heart disease | 18.8 |
| 3. Unintentional injuries | 8.1 |
| 4. Diabetes | 7.0 |
| 5. Stroke | 4.9 |
| 6. Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 4.3 |
| 7. Chronic liver disease | 4.2 |
| 8. Kidney disease | 2.4 |
| 9. Influenza and pneumonia | 2.0 |
| 10. Septicemia | 1.7 |
| Asian or Pacific Islander Females, All Ages | % |
| 1. Cancer | 26.9 |
| 2. Heart disease | 23.7 |
| 3. Stroke | 9.8 |
| 4. Diabetes | 4.0 |
| 5. Unintentional injuries | 4.0 |
| 6. Influenza and pneumonia | 3.4 |
| 7. Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 2.3 |
| 8. Alzheimer’s disease | 1.8 |
| 9. Kidney disease | 1.7 |
| 10. Hypertension | 1.6 |
| Hispanic Females, All Ages | % |
| 1. Heart disease | 22.8 |
| 2. Cancer | 21.7 |
| 3. Stroke | 6.4 |
| 4. Diabetes | 5.4 |
| 5. Unintentional injuries | 5.0 |
| 6. Chronic lower respiratory diseases | 2.7 |
| 7. Alzheimer’s disease | 2.7 |
| 8. Influenza and pneumonia | 2.6 |
| 9. Kidney disease | 2.2 |
| 10. Perinatal conditions | 2.1 |