Check out these top 10 unhealthiest countries in the world, so you can be aware of where your life choices may take you.
What do you think of when you hear the word unhealthy? The last time I heard it, I thought of my most recent tummy bug and how bad I felt.
However, in this case, we’re talking about unhealthiness on a global scale; how does your country compare to others around the world?
What is The Unhealthy Country?
A country can be categorized as unhealthy when its citizens suffer from long-term and short-term illnesses due to poor living conditions, poor government management and other health risks.
Additionally, high mortality rates can also make a country a less healthy one. By examining statistics on mortality rates from various diseases, it is easy to determine which countries should be labeled as the unhealthiest countries. And while not all deaths are preventable (e.g., those caused by an accident), some are definitely avoidable—such as malaria deaths.
According to recent estimates by WHO (World Health Organization), malaria was responsible for 655,000 deaths worldwide in 2012 alone, making it one of today’s deadliest diseases (WHO). So why do some countries suffer more than others?
List Of Top 10 Unhealthiest Countries in the World to Visit
Every country has its problems, but these countries have issues so severe that they’re known as the unhealthiest countries in the world.
If you’re planning on traveling to one of these countries, make sure to follow all precautions and take advantage of the vaccinations and other preventative measures recommended by your doctor or international travel clinic to help you stay healthy while you’re away from home.
These are the 10 unhealthiest countries in the world according to experts, who ranked countries based on their healthcare systems, nutritional habits, exercise routines, pollution levels, and more.
1# India
Poor sanitation, a lack of clean water and air pollution all lead to high levels of illness. In India, there are 1.5 million deaths per year from environmental causes, according to a study published by researchers at Tufts University.
This makes it one of the world’s unhealthiest countries. Some health experts say that much of India’s poor health outcomes can be attributed to a lack of hygiene, which has led to several epidemics such as diarrhea and cholera over time.
It is also one of the world’s most polluted countries, with many citizens living next to garbage dumps without proper protection and others burning coal or cow dung indoors for cooking fuel without any ventilation or filtration systems on top.
2# Mali
In terms of healthcare and medical facilities, Mali’s a developing country. In fact, they don’t even have enough equipment to meet their own needs. It is not hard to understand why it ranks as one of the world’s unhealthiest countries.
With poor living conditions and poor educational systems, malaria is rampant among children. Their health ministry has recorded more than 100 cases of tuberculosis every year since 2004!
3# Bangladesh
The capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, is also one of its most polluted cities. Agricultural pollutants, as well as industrial effluents, make their way into drinking water and soil.
Air pollution also has a major impact on people’s health. In addition to respiratory problems, it can cause heart disease and increase mortality rates by triggering strokes and heart attacks.
Bangladesh ranks 3rd among all unhealthiest countries in terms of environmental degradation, poor sanitation & hygiene conditions, malnutrition, etc.
4# Ethiopia
Not only does Ethiopia have some of the world’s highest incidences of malnourishment, but it also has some of its highest rates of smoking. With access to free healthcare and an overall low cost of living, it might be possible that these people are getting sick from poor eating and health habits (like smoking).
This seems counterintuitive to what we think healthy countries should look like. But when you consider that Ethiopia’s economy relies heavily on agriculture—and poverty—it makes sense why so many people are unhealthily obese.
Poor diet choices and high rates of smoking lead to a staggering 54% rate of adult diabetes. And since most people can’t afford healthcare, there isn’t much anyone can do to help treat their disease.
5# Burkina Faso
The West African country of Burkina Faso ranks 5th on Forbes’ list of unhealthiest countries. With nearly 75% of its population living under extreme poverty, Burkina Faso struggles with hunger and malnutrition.
Reports show that about 35% of children under five are malnourished. One out of four children dies before reaching their fifth birthday, according to reports from U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals Program.
There is not much information on why health care services in Burkina Faso are so lacking, but even with over 6 million people living there, it does not have a single university hospital that offers post-graduate courses in medicine or dentistry. The nation’s primary access to health care is through traditional medicine healers.
6# Samoa
The life expectancy of residents of Samoa is only 70.8 years. One major factor that’s attributed to their low life expectancy is widespread obesity and associated health issues like cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
Unfortunately, obesity rates in Samoa have increased by 70% over just a seven-year period. The Samoan people have a diet heavy in meat consumption which makes them susceptible to heart disease and obesity on top of other diseases like malaria.
Another major factor contributing to their lack of healthy longevity are smoking habits; there are more than twice as many smokers per capita as compared to non-smokers.
7# Slovenia
Slovenia has one of Europe’s most cigarette-friendly governments, but it’s also anti-alcohol. That may be a problem because, as medical professionals will tell you, smoking and drinking are typically paired.
If you’re going to do one, you probably shouldn’t do both. Then again, that doesn’t seem to be much of a deterrent for Slovenians:
According to Euromonitor International reports published by CNN, every man over 15 years old averages about 16 liters of alcohol per year—the equivalent of more than two bottles per week. Women aren’t far behind at 13 liters per year on average.
8# Somalia
Somalia’s main health problems are communicable diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS.
This is due to high rates of poverty, extreme weather conditions that leave people exposed to floods and droughts and a lack of adequate public health measures.
The famine of 2011–2012 also negatively affected Somalia’s population; according to estimates from Save The Children, 200 children under 5 died every day from hunger-related causes during that time.
9# Moldova
Moldova is currently ranked as one of the unhealthiest countries in Europe. The Moldovan diet consists mainly of carbohydrates, like potatoes and grains. They also consume a lot of sugar and animal fats.
Moldova has an alarming amount of food insecurity, which leads to malnutrition and an array of chronic diseases due to their high consumption of unhealthy foods that lead to obesity or heart disease.
Recently, cases have been reported about diabetes being on an increase since there is not much information about nutrition for people with diabetes or for diabetics who want to change their diets but do not know where to start.
Consequently, there are higher rates of high blood pressure and obesity when compared with other Eastern European countries such as Romania, Poland, Croatia and Lithuania.
10# South Africa
Not only is South Africa’s crime rate high, but HIV/AIDS and cancer are also widespread. Based on numerous studies, South Africa has topped a number of lists as one of the unhealthiest countries in which to live.
There are many reasons for these grim statistics. In 2008 alone, over 300,000 people were murdered and another 330,000 fell victim to carjacking. Over 1 million AIDS-related deaths have been reported since 2000 (80% of new infections are from heterosexual contact).
Life expectancy is just 52 years for men and 54 years for women (that’s about 25 years lower than other developed nations). On top of that — 28% or nearly 4 million people smoke regularly!
Conclusion
The world’s unhealthiest countries generally have limited access to healthcare and other public services, as well as higher poverty rates, which allow infectious diseases to spread faster than they otherwise would.
Unfortunately, many of these unhealthiest countries in the world also tend to be highly impoverished. A lack of education about lifestyle factors and health care access can further exacerbate these problems.
Here’s hoping that over time, all countries can learn from each other’s mistakes and successes when it comes to improving their own health care practices.
In any case, if you ever find yourself traveling through any of these unhealthiest countries, be sure to pack some vaccines for your protection!
Like this? Now read: Top 10 Healthiest Countries in the World
