Italy
Leading cause: Cancer · 62% plant-based · 83.4 yr life expectancy · UHC 82/100
What People Eat
PREDIMED trial: Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil and legumes cuts major cardiovascular events by 30%.
Disease Burden
Leading cause of death: Cancer · 154 / 100k
Bars show each rate against the global range; the tick marks the world median.
Italy enjoys a low heart-disease rate (68/100k), so cancer (154/100k) leads its mortality, again the signature of a long-lived Mediterranean population. The landmark PREDIMED trial, run partly on this diet, showed olive oil and legumes cut major cardiovascular events by 30%.
Healthcare System
Sources: WHO UHC Service Coverage Index (SDG 3.8.1) & WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Latest available year.
What Could Improve
- Hold to the Mediterranean pattern PREDIMED validated, olive oil, legumes, vegetables, and fish.
- Counter the drift toward processed and convenience foods among younger Italians.
- Moderate alcohol and added sugar to address the cancer burden that now leads mortality.
Explore the evidence: Cancer
PREDIMED Trial · Estruch et al., NEJM · 2013 · 7,447 participants
→ 30% CVD risk reduction with Mediterranean diet