Benin
Leading cause: Heart Disease · 75% plant-based · 62.3 yr life expectancy · UHC 38/100
What People Eat
Cardiovascular and dietary profile drawn from WHO Global Health Estimates. Plant-based score reflects the share of whole plant foods (grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts) in the typical national diet.
Disease Burden
Leading cause of death: Heart Disease · 134 / 100k
Bars show each rate against the global range; the tick marks the world median.
Heart disease (134/100k) leads mortality, but Benin's mostly plant-based diet (maize, yams, beans, leafy greens) keeps diet-driven chronic disease modest for now. The binding constraints are very low health spending (~$50/person), limited coverage, and a high infectious-disease and maternal burden.
Healthcare System
Sources: WHO UHC Service Coverage Index (SDG 3.8.1) & WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Latest available year.
What Could Improve
- The decisive levers are healthcare access, clean cooking fuel, and hypertension detection, not dietary change.
- Protect the traditional plant-rich diet as urban incomes rise and processed foods spread.
Explore the evidence: Heart Disease
WHO Global Health Estimates · 2022 · age-standardized country data
→ 134 CVD deaths per 100k · 75% plant-based diet