Objective To analyze the change trends of deaths from three major types of diseases in population in China from 2013 to 2021, and provide evidence for disease prevention and control.

Methods The mortality data and rank of causes of deaths from three major types of diseases collected from 9 datasets of China Cause of Death Surveillance (2013−2021) for the analyses on the crude mortality rates and the standardized mortality rates of the diseases in population in China from 2013 to 2021 by using software Excel 2019 and Joinpoint 5.2, and the average annual percentage change (AAPC) was calculated.

Results For all causes of death, the crude mortality rate increased from 644.20/100000 to 709.76/100 000; the standardized mortality rate decreased from 565.11/100000 to 464.82/100 000 in population in China from 2013 to 2021, showing an increasing trend (AAPC=1.15%, P<0.05) and a decreasing trend from 2013 to 2021 (AAPC=−2.47%, P<0.05). The crude mortality rate and the standardized mortality rate of the first type of disease in total population, men and women all showed decreasing trends (P<0.05). For the second type of disease, the crude mortality rate showed an increasing trend (AAPC=1.49%, P<0.05) and the standardized mortality rate showed a decreasing trend (AAPC=1.49%, AAPC=−2.07%, P<0.05) in total population, and the standardized mortality rates in both men and women all showed decreasing trends. The crude mortality rates and the standardized mortality rates of the third type disease in total population and injury in men all showed decreasing trends (both P<0.05). For injury, The injury crude mortality rate showed an increasing trend (AAPC=1.11%, P<0.05) and the injury standardized mortality rate showed a decreasing trend (AAPC=−2.35%, P<0.05) in women. In 2021, the top three causes of death were heart disease, malignant tumor, and cerebrovascular disease in population in China, with malignant tumor being the first cause of death in men and heart disease being the first cause of death in women. In the first type of disease, the crude and standardized mortality rates of protein-energy malnutrition in total population increased (AAPC=11.23%, AAPC=7.69%, both P<0.05). In the second type of disease, the crude and standardized mortality rates of diabetes showed increasing trends in total population (AAPC=5.79%, AAPC=2.51%, both P<0.05), and the crude and standardized mortality rates of diabetes and colorectal cancer all showed increasing trends in men (P<0.05). In the third type of disease, the crude mortality rate and the standardized mortality rate of accidental falls showed increasing trends in total population (AAPC=6.89%, AAPC=2.87%, both P<0.05), and accidental falls became the first cause of death in injury in women, which ranked 3^rd previously.

Conclusion From 2013 to 2021, the crude mortality rate of three types of diseases increased in population in China, while the standardized mortality rate decreased, with chronic non-communicable diseases being the major causes of death. In the first type of disease, close attention should be paid to the prevention and control of acquired immune deficiency syndrome and protein-energy malnutrition; in the second type of disease, it is necessary to strengthen the prevention, control and health management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in men; and in the third type of disease, it is important to improve the prevention of unintentional falls and conduct safety and health education.