Portugal
Leading cause: Cancer · 59% plant-based · 81.9 yr life expectancy · UHC 83/100
What People Eat
High olive oil, legume (chickpea, lentil), and vegetable consumption aligns with PREDIMED protective findings.
Disease Burden
Leading cause of death: Cancer · 153 / 100k
Bars show each rate against the global range; the tick marks the world median.
Portugal combines moderate heart disease (79/100k) with cancer (153/100k) leading mortality and notably high respiratory disease and diabetes. Its high olive-oil, legume, and vegetable intake aligns with PREDIMED's protective findings, but salt (linked to its elevated stroke rate) and diabetes are watch-points.
Healthcare System
Sources: WHO UHC Service Coverage Index (SDG 3.8.1) & WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Latest available year.
What Could Improve
- Reduce dietary salt, tied to Portugal's comparatively high stroke rate.
- Maintain the olive-oil-and-legume Mediterranean base while cutting added sugar driving diabetes.
- Address smoking behind the high respiratory and cancer burden.
Explore the evidence: Cancer
PREDIMED · Estruch et al., 2013
→ 30% CVD risk reduction with adherence