Ben Squires
International Travel

This country has the healthiest people in the world

When it comes to living a long life it’s all about location, location, location. The Bloomberg Global Health Index has been released examining the quality of life for residents across 163 countries. And the results might surprise you.

Despite its ailing economy, Italy was found to be the healthiest country in the world, with Italians less likely to suffer from higher blood pressure, cholesterol and poorer mental health than Australians, Americans and Brits.

The study attributed this to the benefits of a Mediterranean diet that is rich in vegetables, with consumers having access to fresh product, fruit, lean meats and fish, also noting Italy’ excess of doctors, making medical care easy to come by.

The countries in the index were graded and ranked on variables such as life expectancy, cause of death, health risks from factors like tobacco use and malnutrition, and the availability of clean water to develop a ‘Health Score’. Italy was a clear winner with a ‘Health Score’ of 97.44, with Australia coming in at number five with a ‘Health Score’ of 93.88.

To see the other countries in the top 10, scroll through the gallery above. There’s certainly some surprises in there. Have you ever been to Italy?

Tags:
travel, Italy, travel international, Bloomberg Global Health Index