Introduction: A new study from the UK has found that the Netherlands is the world's healthiest country in terms of diet. In comparison, Chad has the worst diet from the perspective of food consumption. The UK ranked 13th in this survey, while the United States came in 21st on the list of healthiest diets.
Nutritional value and affordability are the criteria for this ranking. The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam), which was responsible for compiling the list, said that researchers examined food consumption in 125 countries. They considered factors such as whether people have enough food to eat, whether they can afford food, whether the food they eat is of good quality, and the prevalence of diet-related diseases. The results showed that the Netherlands has the world's healthiest diet, followed by France and Switzerland.
The Netherlands topped the list because of its relatively low food prices and diabetes levels, as well as better nutritional diversity than its European competitors. Other countries in the top 12 include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Portugal.
In terms of total score, the Netherlands has the world's healthiest diet, but it has a high obesity rate. Nearly one-fifth of Dutch people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30 are obese, while their health levels are between 18 and 25. Australia also had a high obesity level in the ranked countries, with 27% of Australians being obese.
Chad has the worst diet because the country's food has almost no nutritional value. This food is not only expensive but is also prepared under limited sanitary conditions. In Chad, one-third of children are underweight. The countries just after Chad on the list of worst diets are Angola and Ethiopia. The rest of the bottom 10 consists of several sub-Saharan African countries and Yemen. In these countries, the staple foods are nutrient-poor grains, tubers, and root vegetables.
The study shows that the United States has the most affordable food in the world, while Angola has the least affordable. Iceland has the best food quality, and Madagascar has the worst. Saudi Arabia has the highest diabetes rate; Kuwait has the most severe obesity problem, with 42% of its population being obese.
In the United States and Egypt, one-third of the population is obese. Surprisingly, some middle-income countries also have high obesity rates. Fiji, Mexico, and Venezuela are all among the top 10 countries with the highest obesity rates. In contrast, countries with very low obesity rates include Bangladesh, Nepal, and Ethiopia.
Researchers noted that the highest obesity rates are actually found in Pacific islands, but these countries were not included in this study. Nauru has the world's highest obesity rate, with 71% of its population being obese.
The Oxfam research report points out that malnutrition is most prevalent in Burundi, where 67% of people are malnourished and 35% of children are underweight. Yemen ranks second on the list of malnutrition, followed by India and Madagascar. In India, 44% of children are underweight, the highest rate in the world for this indicator.
Top 10 Healthiest Diet Countries
1. Netherlands
2. France
3. Switzerland
4. Denmark
5. Sweden
6. Austria
7. Belgium
8. Ireland
9. Italy
10. Portugal
Top 10 Unhealthiest Diet Countries
1. Chad
2. Angola
3. Ethiopia
4. Madagascar
5. Yemen
6. Niger
7. Burundi
8. Mozambique
9. Zimbabwe
10. Sierra Leone