By: Norhan Mahmoud
CAIRO, Feb. 27 (SEE)- Well, it looks like the secret to healthy living has been hiding somewhere inside the Mediterranean diet’s treasure box, as Spain has just been crowned the world’s healthiest nation.
In its 2019 Healthiest Country Index, Bloomberg has declared Spain the first on the list of its 169 surveyed countries in relation to factors linked to overall health, moving five places forward its 2017 rank.
Its fellow European neighbor Italy comes second in place, followed by Iceland (3), and Switzerland (5), Sweden (6) and Norway (9) amongst the top ten.
Singapore’s level has dropped to be the eighth whilst Japan has advanced to be the second healthiest Asian nation, way ahead from their continent’s giant China that is the 52nd.
Bahrainis are the healthiest Arabs as their country is the 36th on the index, followed by Qatar as the 37th. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was also there rounding out at 46th place.
The lowest on the list were the Sub-Saharan lands that took over 27 positions of the unhealthiest 30, together with Afghanistan, Yemen and Haiti.
[caption id="attachment_38340" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Spanish Paella/ AP Images[/caption]
Nations were assessed in relevance to life expectancy, the access people have to sanitation and clean water and the imposition of deterrent penalties that combat risks including obesity and tobacco use.
According to the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, spaniards’ lifespan, by 2040, will be the highest worldwide at almost 86-year-old. The next on track will be the Japanese, Singaporeans and Swiss- thanks to the healthcare services they receive.
Thus, credits go to the extra virgin olive oil, nuts and reduced-fat of the Mediterranean diet that ultimately lower the rate of cardiovascular diseases- as per researches.
So, do not hesitate seeking the advice of your Spanish or Italian friend if you’re planning to pursue a healthy lifestyle!
N.B. Main Image Courtesy: Telegraph
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