New Zealand
Leading cause: Cancer · 43% plant-based · 82.1 yr life expectancy · UHC 89/100
What People Eat
Rapid westernization of Māori diet correlates with a 3× increase in CVD incidence. Traditional plant-rich diet was highly protective.
Disease Burden
Leading cause of death: Cancer · 138 / 100k
Bars show each rate against the global range; the tick marks the world median.
New Zealand combines good healthcare with cancer (138/100k) leading mortality and moderate heart disease (96/100k). A stark equity gap underlies the averages: rapid westernization of the Māori diet correlates with roughly tripled CVD incidence versus the traditional plant-rich pattern.
Healthcare System
Sources: WHO UHC Service Coverage Index (SDG 3.8.1) & WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Latest available year.
What Could Improve
- Target the diet-driven CVD and diabetes inequity affecting Māori and Pacific communities.
- Reduce ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks behind rising obesity.
- Support a return to traditional plant-rich foods alongside the strong existing healthcare system.
Explore the evidence: Cancer
NZ Nutrition Survey · 2021
→ Westernization: 3× CVD increase in Māori population