Spain now leads the pack as the healthiest nation in the world, after taking the top spot away from the pasta-loving Italians.
According to the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Spain has “primary care (that) is essentially provided by public providers, specialized family doctors and staff nurses, who provide preventive services to children, women and elderly patients, and acute and chronic care.”
Bloomberg ranked over 160 economies according to factors associated with overall health like life expectancy, smoking, obesity, as well as environmental factors such as access to sanitation services and clean water.
The United States dropped slightly to the 53rd position on the list, below Mexico, which sits at the 35th spot. Canada, ranked number 16 on the list, beats its neighbor to the South by a wide margin. Drug overdose deaths have lowered life expectancy in the U.S. in recent years.
China’s life expectancy rate is on the rise and due to surpass the U.S. by 2040.
Of the 30 unhealthiest nations on the list, Sub-Saharan economies account for 27.
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