Spain has just surpassed Italy to become the world's healthiest country. That's according to the 2019 edition of the Bloomberg Healthiest Country Index, which ranks 169 economies according to factors that contribute
to overall health. Spain placed sixth in the previous gauge, published
in 2017. Australia ranked seventh in the new index.
The index grades nations based on variables – such as life expectancy –
while imposing penalties on risks such as tobacco use and obesity. It
also takes into consideration environmental factors, including access to
clean water and sanitation.
Four additional European nations were among the top 10: Iceland (third),
Switzerland (fifth), Sweden (sixth) and Norway (ninth). Japan was the
healthiest Asian nation, jumping three places from the 2017 survey into
fourth and replacing Singapore, which dropped to eighth. Israel rounded
out the top 10.
South
Korea improved seven spots to 17th while China, home to 1.4 billion
people, rose three places to 52nd. Life expectancy in China is on track
to surpass the US by 2040, according to the Institute for Health Metrics
and Evaluation.Sub-Saharan economies accounted for 27 of the 30 unhealthiest nations in the ranking. Haiti,
Afghanistan and Yemen were the others. Mauritius was the healthiest in
Sub-Sahara, placing 74th globally as it had the lowest death rate by
communicable diseases in a region still marred by infectious mortality
