Hiking on Diamond Hill, Co Galway is one way to keep healthy.Getty Images
Ireland ranks 4th overall as the healthiest country in Europe, according to a new study from life insurance broker Reassured.
Ireland also ranked 5th lowest for regular body pain (5.4) and 5th highest for life expectancy with a score of 80.5.
On top of this, Ireland came in 4th for self-perceived health (41.9), all of which contributed to their excellent total score of 60.18, and this is despite coming 30th for obesity with a score of 21.1.
Ireland was highly ranked in the new index that was created by Reassured in light of the new year, when health becomes a leading priority for many people.
The index took into account a range of factors, such as life expectancy self-perceived health levels, obesity levels, and depressive symptoms.
The new index shows how certain countries prioritize various health factors all year round, from their mental health to their diet.
Ireland was less than ten points away from top-ranked country Cyprus. Rounding out the top five were Portugal (2nd), Albania (3rd), and Bosnia (5th).
With some of the lowest obesity levels in the entire continent (11.4%), and low absence levels from work due to health (14.2%), Cyprus had an overall health score of 69.2%.
Cypriots also recognize themselves as a healthy population, with relatively high self-perceived health levels (45.5%). This reflects a respectable average life expectancy of 79 years, much higher than many other European countries, with a surprisingly low life expectancy of 61 years.
The countries with the best life expectancy were the Nordic countries. Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark all featured in the top 10 for life expectancy, with an average length of 81.8 years, 81.7 years, 81.3 years, and 79.6 years. The study suggests this could be attributed to active lifestyles and diets of unprocessed foods and healthy fatty acids.
The research also found that the majority of these Nordic countries take some of the longest time off of work due to health reasons, suggesting they prioritize rest and recuperation.
Romania scored the lowest obesity levels at 10.5%, a stark comparison to the likes of Malta, Hungary, and Italy, which were found to have worryingly high levels of obesity (28.1%, 23.9%, and 22.6%).
Phil Jeynes, Director of Corporate Strategy at Reassured, commented on the findings: “Our index shows that each country still has some health aspects that it needs to work on to improve its overall health status.
"However, prioritizing our own individual health should be a key focus for the new year and beyond.
"Whilst some countries have better access to health tools and benefits, it’s important to prioritize life insurance protection to support both yourself and your family through sickness and health.”
The top 15 healthiest countries in Europe
- Cyprus
- Portugal
- Albania
- Ireland
- Bosnia
- Greece
- Malta
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Romania
- United Kingdom
- Serbia
- Iceland
- Croatia
- Czech Republic