The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released a report that states that 900,000 Americans each year die prematurely. Their deaths are attributed to five leading causes, and up to 40 percent of these deaths could have been prevented.

The top five identified causes of death are as follows: cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic respiratory disease and accidental death. The causes combined were responsible for 63 percent of deaths for any reason in the United States in 2010.

A premature death is defined by the CDC as a death that occurs before the age of 80.

Several of these causes could be prevented through lifestyle changes. Topping the list of risks is the use of tobacco, which directly contributes to heart disease, cancer, stroke and respiratory disease. Poor diet and sedentary lifestyle also contribute greatly to the risk of developing these maladies. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other health factors can contribute to the development of heart disease, strokes and some cancers. Unsafe conditions in the home or workplace contribute to accidents as does unsafe behaviors such as forgoing seat belts or helmets, or drug and alcohol abuse.

While behavioral adjustments can be made to curb the chances of a premature death, other factors need to be considered. The socioeconomic situation of an individual can have great impact on the risks a person is exposed to or engages in, as can geographic location and environmental conditions.

Should all these factors be accounted for and risks minimized in every area, over 200,000 lives could be prolonged annually. Experts involved in the study were able to calculate the rate of prevention for each cause of death. They determined that 34 percent of heart disease deaths could be prevented, as well as 21 percent of cancer deaths, 39 percent of deaths from chronic respiratory disease, 33 percent of stroke deaths and 39 percent of accidental injury deaths.