About the Health Status Report

What are the main causes of death in Belgium? How long do Belgians live? What are the most common diseases at different ages? Are health inequalities growing? The Health Status Report provides clear answers to these questions and more, offering an up-to-date picture of the health of Belgium’s population.

The Health Status Report integrates health information from multiple sources and collections.

Rather than being an exhaustive inventory, the report emphasises interpreting and highlighting data that are essential for evaluating public health priorities. It presents significant trends, benchmarks, and rankings, etc. with a focus on:

• Burden of disease – Quantifying the impact of diseases and risk factors on population health
• Life expectancy and quality of life – How long people live and the quality of those years
• Mortality and causes of death – Leading (premature) causes of death in Belgium
• Mental health – Understanding the prevalence and impact of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety
• Communicable and non-communicable diseases – Including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and infectious conditions
• Determinants of health – Including substance use, weight status, diet, physical activity, and environmental factors
• Health inequalities – Examining disparities by educational level
• Cost of illness – Assessing the economic burden of diseases on society
• Specific population groups – Special focus on children, women, and other subgroups
• Thematic factsheets – On themes like COVID-19, smoking trends, and more
• Interactive dashboards – Visualise and interpret complex data

The Healthy Belgium website serves as a central platform where all this information is made accessible and understandable, including through interactive dashboards.