Argentina, far from the leaders of the ranking of the healthiest countries in the world

Bloomberg's economic site produces the Bloomberg Health Care Efficiency Index, which badesses 169 different factors from World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank (WB) statistics. and penalizes countries with high rates of obesity, tobacco consumption or alcohol.

According to the specialized media in economics, the figures for life expectancy at birth (only behind Japan and Switzerland) and life expectancy in 2040, recently calculated by the University of Washington were the keys for Spain to dethrone Italy as the healthiest country in the world and occupy the top spot in the rankings.

The list also cites the benefits of the Spanish public health system and the famous Mediterranean diet among the reasons for its success.

In any case, European health and / or nutrition systems clearly have a great influence as most of the healthiest countries in the world are in the Old Continent.

Four other European countries rank among the top ten in 2019: Iceland (third place), Switzerland (fifth), Sweden (sixth) and Norway (ninth). Japan was the healthiest Asian country. He climbed three places in the 2017 survey to fourth place and replaced Singapore, who fell to eighth place. Australia and Israel completed the top 10 in seventh and tenth places.

The index ranks nations according to variables including life expectancy, while imposing penalties for risks such as smoking and obesity. It also takes into account environmental factors, including access to drinking water and sanitation.

Spain has the highest life expectancy at birth in the European Union and only extends to Japan and Switzerland in the world, according to United Nations data. And by 2040, life expectancy is expected to be the longest for nearly 86 years, followed by Japan, Singapore, and Switzerland, according to the University of Washington.

"Primary care is provided primarily by public service providers, specialized family doctors and nurses, who provide prevention services to children, women and the elderly, as well as acute and chronic care," according to the report. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies 2018, a review of Spain.

Argentina is ranked number 54, one less than the previous edition of the ranking in 2017, when it was located at 53.

The researchers agreed that dietary habits could provide clues to the health status of Spain and Italy, since a "Mediterranean diet, supplemented with oil from the rest of the world. Extra virgin olive or nut, had a lower cardiovascular event rate according to a study conducted by the medical school of the University of Navarre.

Meanwhile, in North America, Canada's 16th position far outstripped the United States and Mexico, with both countries falling slightly at positions 35 and 53 respectively. In the United States, life expectancy was lower due to deaths due to drug overdose and suicides.

Cuba was located in five places above the United States, making it the only country not to be ranked in the "high income" category by the World Bank to achieve such a high score. One of the reasons for the island nation's success may lie in the emphasis placed on preventive care in the American approach to diagnosis and treatment of diseases, according to the American health law section. Bar Association in Report last year after visiting Cuba.

South Korea has improved seven places out of 17, while China, which has 1.4 billion inhabitants, has gained three places out of 52. Life expectancy in China is expected to increase to exceed the United States by 2040, according to the Institute of Metrics and Health Assessment.

The sub-Saharan economies represented 27 of the 30 most unhealthy nations in the rankings. Haiti, Afghanistan and Yemen were the others.

Bloomberg evaluated health variables and risks ranging from the nature of the behavior to the environmental characteristics. The final index included only the countries of at least 0.3 million inhabitants and sufficient data. 169 WHO states met the criteria to be included.