Namibia
Leading cause: Heart Disease · 60% plant-based · 63.7 yr life expectancy · UHC 66/100
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 · 153 / 100k
Bars show each rate against the global range; the tick marks the world median.
Heart disease (153/100k) leads alongside a high HIV burden. A maize- and cereal-based diet by calories, rising sugar and processed foods, and growing obesity push diet-driven disease upward as the country develops.
Healthcare System
Sources: WHO UHC Service Coverage Index (SDG 3.8.1) & WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Latest available year.
What Could Improve
- Sustain HIV programs while curbing the rising sugar and processed foods behind growing CVD.
- Raise vegetable and legume intake; cut sugary drinks.
Explore the evidence: Heart Disease
WHO Global Health Estimates · 2022 · age-standardized country data
→ 153 CVD deaths per 100k · 60% plant-based diet