OBJECTIVE:: to describe the burden of disease in Brazil from 1990 to 2010.
METHODS:: analysis of the estimates of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 - Years of Life Lost due to premature mortality (YLL), Years Lost due to Disability (YLD), Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY=YLL+YLD) and risk factors.
RESULTS:: there was a decrease in deaths due to diarrhea and an increase in deaths due to diabetes and kidney disease, whilst deaths due to homicides and traffic accidents remained stable; cardiovascular diseases continued to be the leading cause of death despite a 30% reduction; the largest increases in DALY were due to diabetes and musculoskeletal diseases in women and alcohol abuse and low back pain in men; the main risk factors were poor diet and high blood pressure; smoking, domestic pollution and insufficient breastfeeding were found to have reduced.
CONCLUSION:: the rapid epidemiological transition highlights the need to control infectious diseases and invest in reducing violence and non-communicable diseases.