For mildly disabled men aged below 65 years, low back pain and arthritis were the main contributors to the disability burden. These two musculoskeletal diseases accounted for 29 and 35 % for the disability burden in mildly disabled men aged 15–54 years and 55–64 years, respectively (Table 6 and Fig. 4). Depression and heart attack were also important contributors for mildly disabled men aged 15–54 years and 55–64 years, respectively. In mildly disabled men at older ages (≥65 years) arthritis, heart attack, low back pain, and chronic respiratory diseases contributed most to the disability burden. Stroke (