Specialists of the Bloomberg media agency named countries with the healthiest residents... The nations were ranked according to a variety of criteria, including life expectancy, infant mortality rates, causes of death, and vaccination prevalence.
- The general ecological state, availability of hygiene products and clean drinking water were also taken into account.
- Experts also paid attention to behavioral factors, measuring the nation's adherence to vices like smoking or addiction to alcohol, fatty or sugary foods.
- Also, somehow, Bloomberg experts got their hands on data on blood pressure, blood sugar levels, as well as the number of mental illnesses and the number of people involved in sports in each country.
As a result, the final list included only countries with at least 300,000 populations whose health data were available to researchers. A total of 169 countries participated in the rating.
10. Israel
Rating: 88.15
The top 10 healthiest nations of 2019 are dominated by residents of small countries, while large countries with booming economies lag significantly behind. For example, Canada is in 16th place, the USA is in 35th, China is in 52nd, and Russia is generally in 95th.
Israel is more likely to endorse the "better less but healthier" rule. This small but active state, despite all the foreign policy complications, is famous for its good and relatively inexpensive medical care. The Israeli government spends about 8% of its domestic income each year on maintaining the health of the nation.
9. Norway
Rating: 89.09
Over the past two years, the harsh Vikings have learned to take a more responsible attitude to their own health issues. Since 2017, Norway has moved up two places in the health ranking of nations.
Medicine in Norway is funded from government revenues and is free for persons under 16 and pregnant / lactating women. And if a person is often and seriously ill, then he can apply for a tax cut. However, Norwegians do not like healthy food at all and prefer to lead a sedentary lifestyle. According to statistics, 46% of deaths of persons under 70 can be attributed to addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs and foods that cause excess weight.
8. Singapore
Rating: 89.29
But Singapore, unlike the previous participant in the top 10, began to treat the health of its citizens carelessly. How else to explain the tremendous drop from the fourth to the eighth place in the rating? However, Singapore's healthcare system is still ranked as one of the best in the world, due to the balance between medical savings accounts, the sharing of healthcare costs and government control over healthcare prices.
Most of the trouble for Singaporeans is smoke, which hangs over the country every year in the summer months. He arrives from neighboring Indonesia, where residents are burning forests with might and main.
7. Australia
Rating: 89.75
Australia's healthcare system is one of the best on the planet and the quality of natural resources is excellent. The level of small particles in the air is one of the lowest in the world, and 92% of residents are satisfied with water.
The worst impact on the health of Australians is another danger - the sun.If you open the first aid kit of a local resident, then the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere will be amazed at the number and variety of sun protection (or sunburn treatment). This is because Australians have the highest risk of skin cancer in the world.
6. Sweden
Rating: 90.24
The notorious Scandinavian socialism works well and over time, like an aged wine, it gets better and better. Compared to 2017, Sweden has moved up two places in the list of the healthiest countries in the world.
Medicine in Sweden is public, funded by taxes. The state is not stingy, and every year it allocates at least 11.9% per year for healthcare needs. This is more than all other European countries.
Swedish citizens are attentive to the selection of food for their daily table. Most local shops have a department that sells vegetables and fruits grown without chemicals. Also in the country, despite the northern location and winter cold, vegetarianism and even veganism are very popular. As for sports, the Swedes are one of the most athletic nations in the world, and the state is actively promoting them in this. In every city you can find a treadmill, sports grounds and even free exercise equipment, and in the summer there are special promotions that promote a healthy lifestyle.
5. Switzerland
Rating: 90.93
Swiss medicine is individually insured. That is, there are no programs funded by employers or the state. However, the government determines the minimum package of services that is available to insurance holders and subsidizes the poor so that the cost of paying for it does not exceed 10% of income.
Overall, the system works well, and according to Bloomberg, Switzerland has one of the lowest death rates in Europe. However, this is combined with the highest rate of drug-related death. Plus, the threat of obesity is growing, although the Swiss are still far from being the "fattest nation". The rate of obese adults does not exceed 14.9%.
4. Japan
Rating: 91.38
The title of the healthiest country in Asia was awarded to the country of sakura and samurai. Recent initiatives by the government concerned with the health of the nation have borne fruit - the Japanese have climbed from seventh place to fourth.
Despite the fact that the Japanese health care system is well developed (the patient pays about a third of the costs, the rest is reimbursed by the state), much less attention is paid to mental health than physical health. Despite reforms, psychiatric hospitals in Japan rely heavily on outdated and ineffective methods such as tying patients to beds, force-feeding drugs and solitary confinement. And Japan is also one of the "oldest" countries in the world. According to statistics, more than a third of its inhabitants have crossed the threshold of 60 years. And even oldest man in the world - Japanese.
3. Iceland
Rating: 91.44
The country of volcanoes with unpronounceable names has long settled in "good" ratings. She is welcomed everywhere, from living standards rating to measure the degree of happiness of citizens. So, in the ranking of the best healthcare in the world, Iceland was in the top three (albeit, having gone down one position compared to 2017).
It is believed that the reason for this is the excellent quality of water and air, a love of frequent bathing in the mineral-rich water of hot volcanic springs, as well as a healthy diet rich in fish, both fresh and salted, and excellent meat from ecologically raised livestock.
2. Italy
Rating: 91.59
As one of the Italian ministers said, there is "an excess of doctors" in his country. Medical services are relatively cheap and readily available there, but other factors play a role in the health of the nation. For example, food.
Why are Italy and Spain the two healthiest nations in the world? Because their diet is Mediterranean, rich in vitamins and other nutrients. Classic set of products from one of best diets in the world includes a variety of vegetables, durum pasta, lean meats, fresh fish and seafood. And the salads are seasoned with extra virgin olive oil. As a result, residents of Italy suffer from cardiovascular diseases much less than in other countries. But at present, it is heart disease that is the main reason why people go to another world.
1. Spain
Rating: 92.75
In the first place in the ranking was the country of hot macho and sultry beauties who love sports, as well as the most responsible doctors who tirelessly take care of the health of the first and second. Spain managed to make one of the most impressive ascents of the rating - up to five positions at once.
Healthcare in Spain is public, and it has made significant strides in reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and even cancer (the latter thanks to timely diagnosis). Life expectancy has increased, and the Spaniards already live long. Judging by the UN data, at the moment only the inhabitants of Japan and Switzerland can compare with them. If Spanish citizens continue to grow healthy at the same pace, then by 2040, according to scientists, the average life expectancy in the country of bullfighters and flamenco will reach 86 years. And this is more than all other nations in the world.