Nicoya
Leading cause: Cancer · 87% plant-based · 85.5 yr life expectancy · UHC 84/100
What People Eat
Lowest midlife mortality in the world. Simple diet of beans, corn tortillas, squash, and tropical fruit.
Disease Burden
Leading cause of death: Cancer · 78 / 100k
Bars show each rate against the global range; the tick marks the world median.
Nicoyans record the lowest midlife mortality in the world on a fraction of the health spending of wealthy nations, cancer (78/100k) and heart disease (31/100k) are both remarkably low. The protective factors are a simple beans-corn-squash diet, hard physical work, strong family bonds, and unusually mineral-rich (calcium and magnesium) local water. Healthcare figures reflect Costa Rica.
Healthcare System
Sources: WHO UHC Service Coverage Index (SDG 3.8.1) & WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Latest available year.
What Could Improve
- Defend the traditional three-sisters diet (beans, corn tortillas, squash) and the local water sources as tourism and processed food arrive.
- Costa Rica's strong primary-care network shows the longevity payoff comes from prevention and community, not high spending, a model worth protecting.
Explore the evidence: Cancer
Rosero-Bixby et al., 2013 · Vienna Yearbook of Population Research
→ Lowest midlife mortality globally