The indicator comprises the deaths of males under 70 years of age in relation to 100,000 inhabitants of the standardized old European population under 70 years of age (excluding those under 1 year of age). Data sources are the cause-of-death statistics and the population update of the Federal Statistical Office. The data refer to the standardized old European population of 1976. The under-1-year-olds and thus infant mortality are excluded from the analysis, in contrast to the previous presentation of the sustainability strategy. In addition to factors such as health behavior (see also indicators on smoking rates or obesity), medical care also plays an important role in mortality.

The federal government has set a target of no more than 190 premature male deaths per 100,000 population in 2030.

For indicators without a set baseline by the German Sustainability Strategy, 2030Watch uses the 2008 baseline of the EU 2020 Strategy.

This is an official indicator of the German Sustainability Strategy.