Italy is frequently ranked as one of the world's healthiest countries, often #1 or #2, due to its excellent healthcare, lifestyle, and the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, fresh produce, and whole grains, leading to high life expectancy and lower rates of heart disease, though recent indices sometimes place Spain slightly ahead. While rankings fluctuate (Bloomberg, CEOWORLD), Italy consistently scores high for longevity, low obesity, and good environmental factors like clean water.
Italy is renowned as one of the healthiest countries globally due to a combination of factors. Its healthcare system provides universal coverage, ensuring citizens have access to quality medical care. The Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and fish, promotes heart health and longevity.
The top 10 healthiest countries in the world
According to the index, Singapore ranks first for healthcare, followed by Japan in second place and South Korea in third.
Italians eat fewer ultra processed foods, spend a long time eating their meals, and generally have walkable cities - all of which are associated with low rates of obesity.
Circulatory diseases remain the leading cause of death in Italy, followed by cancer. In 2022, Italy's adult smoking rate was slightly higher than the EU average at 19.6 %, marking a resurgence of smoking during the pandemic following a decade of gradual declines.
In Italy, traditional pasta makers use ancient grains or high-quality durum wheat (zero glyphosate), slow-dry the pasta for up to 72 hours, and bronze-cut the dough to keep its natural structure intact. The result? Pasta that's easier to digest, higher quality, and actually tastes like wheat.
Introduction. In the 2024 World Index of Health Innovation, Australia secured the 9th position overall, a decline from 5th place in 2022. This ranking highlights Australia's strengths in Quality and Choice, where it stands 6th and 3rd respectively.
1. Singapore. Singapore is the healthiest country on Earth.
It also enables provisions for more comforts and personal choice when it comes to doctors and facilities. For these reasons, although public healthcare in Italy is free for both expat residents and Italians, most foreigners and many Italians still opt to utilise private healthcare if they can afford to.
Numbeo also offers a quality of life index, finding the following 10 countries to take the top spots in 2025:
Health ranking of European countries in 2023, by health index score. In 2023, Norway ranked first with a health index score of 83, followed by Iceland and Sweden.
It ranks in the middle of a "league table" for infant mortality and is placed behind several countries for each of our National Health Priority Areas — cardiovascular health, cancer control, injury prevention and control, mental health and diabetes.
Italian DNA is unique due to its exceptionally high genetic diversity, a result of Italy's position as a crossroads for migrations and invasions, blending ancient Mesolithic hunter-gatherers, Neolithic farmers, Bronze Age steppe nomads, and later influences from Greeks, Celts, North Africans, and Germanic peoples, creating distinct regional genetic profiles, like the isolated Sardinians and the North-South gradient reflecting varied environmental adaptations.
The most recent World Economic Forum named Italians the healthiest population in the world right after the Spanish.
If you want to study in a country with a lower cost of living and rich culture, Italy is better. However, if you're looking for tuition-free education in a diverse environment and better employability prospects after graduation, you should choose to study in Germany.
The Unhealthiest Countries in the World
Japan has one of the highest life expectancy rates and some of the lowest rates of overweight and obesity in developed countries. The traditional Japanese diet and the way the Japanese eat are likely big contributors.
The best doctors in the world are often found in countries with top-ranked healthcare systems and medical education. These include the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Mental and Behavioural Conditions
Mental health challenges are the most prevalent chronic conditions in Australia, affecting more than one in four people. These include anxiety disorders, depression, and other mood or behavioural conditions.
However, the "First World" is generally thought of as the capitalist, industrial, wealthy, and developed countries. This definition includes the countries of North America and Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
🍝🔪❌ In Italy, spaghetti is meant to be enjoyed in its full, unbroken glory. Cutting or breaking it not only disrupts the tradition but also changes the way the sauce clings to the pasta. Twirl your fork, savor the flavor, and enjoy spaghetti the Italian way—long and uncut!
Well, it is because of the Mediterranean diet! People in Italy enjoy a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, tomatoes, poultry, whole grains, olive oil, red wine, dairy ― and they consume very little red meat. They usually satisfy a sweet tooth with fruits instead of sugary desserts as well.
Beans. It's hardly a surprise to see beans atop the list of bloat-causing foods. After all, the legendary powers of this legume have even captured the attention of lyricists: Beans, beans, the musical fruit… Science is behind that tune, explains Czerwony.