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Norway Among The Healthiest Nations

berry fruit nut healthiest norwayA bowl of healthy berries, fruits and almonds. Photo: Trang Doan / Pexels

Norway Crowned As One Of The Healthiest Nations In The World

Norway is the ninth healthiest nation in the world, according to Bloomberg’s 2019 Healthiest Country Index. For years, the Norwegian government has worked diligently to get the nation eating healthy, and Bloomberg’s ranking proves that they’ve been a success. But, how have they done it, and should other countries follow their lead?


A dedicated government

Norway first introduced a sugar tax almost a century ago. However, in a bid to keep the nation as healthy as possible, the government opted to increase this tax by 83% at the start of 2018. In addition to hiking up the sugar tax, the government has also vowed to reduce the country’s sugar consumption by 12.5% by 2021. This is an optimistic goal as Norwegians already consume far less sugar than the rest of the world, at 27 kilograms every year, whereas America’s consumption is 34 kg.

The Nordic diet

To aid Norwegians to make healthy food choices, the government regularly publishes food-based dietary guidelines. As the Nordic diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world, the current guidelines encourage natives to eat a nutritious Nordic diet at all times. This means whole grains, fish, fruit, vegetables, and berries should be frequently consumed. Thankfully, these foods needn’t ever become boring, as fruits and vegetables can make healthy drinks, such as smoothies. With a smoothie, the flavor possibilities are endless, which makes them a good addition to the traditional Nordic diet.

Following Norway’s lead

Following Norway’s 2018 sugar tax hike, soda sales shrunk by 11% in just three months. Just a few months after Norway took action, the UK, Ireland, and South Africa introduced similar sugar taxes. Meanwhile, Australia revealed it was going to reduce sugar content in soft drinks by 10% by 2020 and a further 10% by 2025. With so many nations following Norway’s lead, it makes it easier than ever for visitors to the country to embrace the healthy lifestyle that the government promotes. This means devouring plenty of wholesome ingredients and steering clear of sugar, red meat, and processed foods.

Due to the government’s continuing efforts to make unhealthy snacks and drinks unappealing to the nation, Norway has proudly ranked in the top 10 healthiest nations. Other nations should now take note of what Norway has done so that they too can achieve the same success.



This article is written by our contributor, Karoline Gore, to be shared with the esteemed readers of Norway Today. Karoline is a freelance writer and editor.

© Karoline Gore / #Norway Today
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