Bloomberg media agency experts named countries with the healthiest inhabitants. The rating of nations was determined by a variety of criteria, including life expectancy, child mortality, causes of death, and prevalence of vaccinations.
- The general ecological state, the availability of hygiene products and clean drinking water were also taken into account.
- Experts did not ignore behavioral factors, measuring the nation’s commitment to vices such as smoking or addiction to alcohol, fatty or sugary foods.
- Also, somehow, Bloomberg experts got into the hands of data on blood pressure, blood sugar, 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 includes only countries with at least 300 thousand people whose health data were available to researchers. A total of 169 countries participated in the ranking.
10. Israel
Rating: 88.15
The top 10 healthiest nations of 2019 are dominated by residents of small countries, while large states with booming economies are significantly behind. For example, Canada is in 16th place, the United States in 35th, China in 52th, and Russia in general in 95th.
Israel is more likely to reaffirm the rule “better, less, healthier.” This small, but active state, despite all its foreign policy complications, is famous for its good and relatively inexpensive medical care. Israeli authorities spend about 8% of their domestic income every year on maintaining the health of the nation.
9. Norway
Rating: 89.09
The harsh Vikings over the past two years have learned to take a more responsible approach to their own health. Since 2017, Norway has risen two places in the ranking of the health of nations at once.
Medicine in Norway is funded from government revenue, and is free for people under 16 and pregnant / lactating women. And if a person is often and seriously ill, then he can file for a tax reduction. However, Norwegians do not like healthy eating at all and prefer to lead a sedentary lifestyle. According to statistics, 46% of deaths of people under 70 can be explained by addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs and products that cause excess weight.
8. Singapore
Rating: 89.29
But Singapore, unlike the previous participant in the top 10, began to relate to the health of its citizens through the sleeves. Otherwise, how can one explain the grandiose drop from fourth to eighth place in the rating? However, the Singaporean healthcare system is still considered one of the best in the world due to the balance between medical savings accounts, distribution of costs for maintaining medical facilities and state control over the level of prices for medical services.
The main obstacle to Singaporeans is smoke, which hangs over the country every year in the summer months. He arrives from neighboring Indonesia, where the inhabitants burn forests with might and main.
7. Australia
Rating: 89.75
The healthcare system in Australia is one of the best on the planet, and the quality of natural resources is excellent. The level of fine particles in the air is one of the lowest in the world, and 92% of the inhabitants are satisfied with water.
Worst of all, another danger affects the health of Australians - solar. If you open a 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 the treatment of sunburn). And all because Australian residents 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 aged wine, it gets better and better. Compared to 2017, Sweden has risen two positions up in the list of the healthiest countries in the world.
Public medicine in Sweden is financed by taxes. The state does not skimp, and each year allocates at least 11.9% per year to health needs. This is more than any other European country.
Swedish citizens are attentive to the selection of products for their daily table. Most local stores have a department selling 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 sporting nations in the world, and the state is actively contributing to this. In every city you can find treadmills, sports fields and even free exercise equipment, and in the summer special events are held that promote a healthy lifestyle.
5. Switzerland
Rating: 90.93
Swiss medicine is individually insurance. 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 holders of insurance, and subsidizes the poor so that the cost of its payment does not exceed 10% of income.
In general, the system works well, and, according to Bloomberg, Switzerland has one of the lowest mortality rates in Europe. However, this is combined with the highest death rate due to drug use. Plus, the threat of obesity is growing, although the Swiss are still far from the title of "the thickest nation." The level of obese people among adults does not exceed 14.9%.
4. Japan
Rating: 91.38
The title of the most healthy country in Asia was awarded to the country of sakura and samurai. Recent initiatives by the government, concerned about the health of the nation, have borne fruit - from seventh place, the Japanese rose 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. Despite reforms, psychiatric hospitals in Japan rely heavily on outdated and ineffective methods such as bedding patients, force-feeding drugs, and solitary confinement. And also Japan is one of the “oldest” countries in the world. According to statistics, more than a third of the inhabitants crossed the threshold of 60 years. And even the oldest person in the world is Japanese.
3. Iceland
Rating: 91.44
The country of volcanoes with unpronounceable names has long settled in "good" ratings. She is greeted everywhere, from the rating of the standard of living to measuring the degree of happiness of citizens. So in the ranking of the best healthcare in the world, Iceland was in the top three (though, having gone down one position compared to 2017.).
It is believed that the reason for everything is the excellent quality of water and air, the love of frequent bathing in hot mineral water from mineral water saturated with minerals, as well as a healthy diet rich in fish, both fresh and salted, and excellent cattle grown in ecological conditions.
2. Italy
Rating: 91.59
As one of the Italian ministers said, in his country there is "an excess of doctors." Medical services there are relatively cheap and easily accessible, but in addition to them, other factors play a role in the level of national health. 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 beneficial substances. The classic set of products from one of the best diets in the world includes many vegetables, pasta made from durum wheat, lean meat, fresh fish and seafood. And 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 precisely heart diseases that are 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 care about the health of the first and second. Spain managed to make one of the most impressive ascents of the rating - five positions at once.
Health care in Spain is public, and he has been able to achieve significant success in reducing mortality from cardiovascular disease and even cancer (the latter - thanks to timely diagnosis). The average life expectancy has increased, but the Spaniards already live long. Judging by the UN, at the moment only residents of Japan with 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 torero and flamenco will reach 86 years. And this is more than all other nations in the world.
