Lisbon, Feb. 26, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique leads Portuguese-Language countries in a global ranking of young people's mental health, while Brazil has one of the worst performances and Angola stands out as one of the most spiritual countries, according to a study released on Thursday.
According to the Global Mind Health 2025 report by Sapien Labs, Mozambique ranks 12th among 84 countries in terms of the mental health of the population aged between 18 and 34, placing it among the best on the African continent and well above Portugal, which ranks 46th.
The Global Mind Health report is part of a project that measures mental health in the Internet-connected world and is presented as the largest ongoing study of its kind, with data from more than 2.5 million people in 85 countries.
Angola ranks 25th in the world, which represents a positive performance in the global context, although it is below African countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, which top the list.
Brazil was the worst performing Portuguese-Language country in the study, ranking 79th out of 84 countries, in contrast to several African countries, which dominate the top places in the ranking.
The study concludes that, in general, "countries with relatively better mental health are predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa", while rich countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany have the worst rankings.
The study uses a Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) that measures the ability to cope with life's challenges and function productively. This is a composite indicator that aggregates respondents' assessments across 47 cognitive, emotional, social and physical dimensions.
In the case of Angola, one of the most notable factors is the spirituality of young people, where the country ranks 7th out of 69 countries, with one of the highest scores in the world, with Mozambique ranking 9th.
Another factor analysed was the relationship with the family, considered decisive for psychological balance, since the study concludes that young people with weak family relationships are four times more likely to have mental health problems.
The two African countries have relatively low levels of family closeness among young people, ranking 71st and 78th, a significant contrast, since according to the report, spirituality and family relationships are two of the factors that most influence mental health.
The study also highlights that spirituality is particularly high in Africa, noting that "14 of the countries with the highest spirituality are on the African continent," which helps explain the good results of several African countries in youth mental health.
Portugal presents the opposite profile, with relatively low levels of spirituality, ranking 44th in this indicator, but with stronger family ties, ranking 18th worldwide, which shows that different cultural and social factors contribute differently to mental health levels between countries.
Late access to smartphones is another factor that favours African countries, including young people in Angola and Mozambique, who received their first mobile phone later than Europeans.
According to the report, "the earlier young people receive smartphones, the more likely they are to have mental health problems in adulthood," including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
The consumption of ultra-processed foods, which is higher in Western countries, also contributes to worse outcomes, as it is associated with increased depression and decreased emotional and cognitive capacity.
Portugal and Brazil are among the countries with the highest consumption of ultra-processed foods, ranking 17th and 27th, respectively, while Angola and Mozambique are among the countries with the lowest consumption, ranking 62nd and 73rd.
Overall, the report warns of a growing crisis, especially among young people, noting that "almost half of adults under the age of 35 face significant mental health challenges," a level four times higher than that of older generations (the over 55s).
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