Israel was ranked the 10th-healthiest country in the world, according to an assessment published by Bloomberg on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019.
Spain topped the 2019 list, jumping five places from its place in the previous report. The index ranks 169 countries “according to factors that contribute to overall health,” Bloomberg said. “The index grades nations based on variables including 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.”
Following Spain, the next top healthiest countries were Italy, Iceland, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Singapore, Norway and then Israel. The USA ranked 35th on the list, far further down than Canada, which placed 16th.
“Life expectancy in the USA has been trending lower due to deaths from drug overdoses and suicides,” the report noted.
Citing an Oct. 2018 study from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Bloomberg said Spain is expected to have the highest lifespan in the world by 2040: 86 years. That study predicted Israelis will have a lifespan 84.4 years in 2040, according to The Times of Israel.
