How long you live could depend on where you stay.
According to recent data by the World Health Organization, the global average life expectancy is 72 years, but this number can be notably higher, or lower, per country. Research has suggested that factors like diet, social class, happiness, and even climate play a role in how long a person lives.
Stacker recently compiled a list ranking each country according to life expectancy. The report was based upon data from various sources made available in recent years. Based on the findings, here are the 10 countries with the highest life expectancy:
10. Norway
Life expectancy: 82.5 years
Total population: 5.25 million
The leading cause of death in Norway is heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer's disease but this is among people who do not lead a healthy lifestyle. Most people in the country keep active and follow a healthy diet that includes loads of lean protein, which contributes towards their longevity.
9. The Republic of Korea
Life expectancy: 82.7 years
Total population: 50.98 million
Experts believe that the Korean diet is a big contributing factor to the extended lifespan of the country’s citizens. Koreans tend to eat a lot of the superfood kimchi, which may help add years on to their lives. Adding to this are advances in the health-care system as well as access to health care programs.
8. Canada
Life expectancy: 82.8 years
Total population: 36.38 million
Education has played a vital role in extending the average person's life expectancy in Canada but, while medical advances mean that the elderly are living longer, drug addiction is claiming more and more lives among the youth.
7. Italy
Life expectancy: 82.8 years
Total population: 60.66 million
Research suggests that a healthy diet and a laid-back lifestyle are the major reasons why people in Italy, and especially in the smaller villages, are living longer. Residents in the Acciaroli village, for example, eat loads of fresh fish and vegetables and have very little stress. They tend to live past 90.
6. France
Life expectancy: 82.9 years
Total population: 64.67 million
We know that obesity, excessive drinking, and smoking can take years of a person's life. Which is likely why people in France tend to live longer. The country boasts low obesity rates and its residents steer away from binge drinking.
5. Australia
Life expectancy: 82.9 years
Total population: 24.26 million
The average life expectancy is higher in Australia due to a combination of factors that include medical advances as well as effective measures by the government to promote healthier diets and lifestyles.
4. Singapore
Life expectancy: 82.9 years
Total population: 5.65 million
Advances in cancer treatment, as well as the detection of chronic disease, could be why people in Singapore are living longer. Citizens also tend to live healthier lives by limiting their alcohol intake, eating well and managing their weight and stress levels.
3. Spain
Life expectancy: 83.1 years
Total population: 46.63 million
Medical experts often tout the health benefits of following a Mediterranean diet and Spain is the prime example of why this way of eating could add years onto your life. The country also ensures that the elderly is cared for properly while also taking measures to tackle childhood obesity, which all contributes towards a higher average life expectancy.
2. Switzerland
Life expectancy: 83.3 years
Total population: 8.38 million
The Swiss tend to be extremely health-conscious, which already adds years onto their lives. Adding to this, the country has one of the best health-care systems and is also ranked as one of the happiest in the world.
1. Japan
Life expectancy: 84.2 years
Total population: 127.76 million
Japan invests in its public health, offering universal health care to almost everyone in the country, which contributes greatly to an above-average life expectancy among its people. Furthermore, the Japanese tend to follow healthy diets rich in seafood.
And if you are wondering where the U.S. ranks, the answer is No. 34, with a life expectancy of 78.5 years. Wealthier people life longer in the U.S. but overall life expectancy has declined because of alcoholism and substance abuse.
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