South Sudan
Leading cause: Heart Disease · 78% plant-based · 57.9 yr life expectancy · UHC 41/100
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 · 218 / 100k
Bars show each rate against the global range; the tick marks the world median.
Heart disease (218/100k) leads, but the 58-year life expectancy reflects conflict, displacement, famine, and one of the world's weakest health systems (UHC ~41), not diet. The sorghum-and-livestock diet remains traditional.
Healthcare System
Sources: WHO UHC Service Coverage Index (SDG 3.8.1) & WHO Global Health Expenditure Database. Latest available year.
What Could Improve
- Peace, humanitarian healthcare, and food security dwarf any dietary intervention here.
- Preserve the traditional grain-and-livestock diet as stability returns.
Explore the evidence: Heart Disease
WHO Global Health Estimates · 2022 · age-standardized country data
→ 218 CVD deaths per 100k · 78% plant-based diet