The first study to look at death rates across the world for young people aged 10 to 24 years was published. The research, conducted by an international group of experts in adolescent health and backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), included the following key findings:

1) Road traffic accidents (10 percent);

2) Suicide (6.3 percent);

3) Violence (6 percent);

4) Lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia (5.9 percent);

5) Tuberculosis (5.5 percent);

6) AIDS (5.5 percent);

7) Drowning (4.1 percent);

8) Fire-related deaths (2.6 percent);

9) Meningitis (2 percent);

10) War (1.8 percent)

* For males aged 10-24 worldwide, the top five causes of death were

1) Road traffic accidents (13.9 percent);

2) Violence (9.2 percent);

3) Suicide (6.4 percent);

4) Drowning (5.3 percent);

5) Tuberculosis (5.2 percent)

* For females, aged 10-24 worldwide, the top five causes of death were

1) Lower respiratory tract infections (6.7 percent);

2) Suicide (6.2 percent);

3) AIDS (6.1 percent);

4) Tuberculosis (5.8 percent);

5) Road traffic accidents (5 percent)