A recent global study has shown that Britain ranks among the lowest nations when it comes to "human flourishing". This ranking, which raises concerns about the country's overall well-being, especially among young people, highlights several major factors that impact the quality of life.
The research, or the Global Flourishing Study , was conducted in 22 countries across six continents. It sought to measure a variety of human well-being factors, such as happiness, health, economic security, relationships, and meaning in life. The UK placed 20th using a scale that aggregated all these factors, which is an indication of a key concern regarding the flourishing of the country.
This large-scale survey used nationally representative samples to give a reflection of the experiences of close to half of the world's population. Initiated in 2022, the five-year project aims to collect data from more than 200,000 participants each year, creating an overall picture of what promotes or prevents human flourishing.
UK's low flourishing rank unveils crisis in youth well-being
Perhaps one of the more alarming discoveries of the study was the especially low well-being scores for young people in nations such as the UK, the US, and Australia. This result is counter to previous studies, which indicated that well-being is U-shaped across the life course, with the youngest and oldest age groups typically reporting higher satisfaction than middle-aged individuals.
In the UK, 18- to 24-year-olds, for instance, reported relatively low levels of life satisfaction compared to the 25- to 29-year-olds, who in turn scored less than those above the age of 80. "The very youngest in the UK do seem to be particularly struggling," agrees Dr. Tim Lomas, a psychologist in the study, indicating the immediate need for greater focus on the welfare of this age group.
Findings that defines the countries flourishing score
The researchers set up a list of questions aimed at knowing about individuals' happiness, from youth and family bonds to education, religious observances, and being married. Then these data were evaluated to have the possible predictors of flourishing with the end product of a global score per nation. One of the most surprising findings was the ordering of the countries in terms of flourishing. Indonesia topped the list, followed by Israel, the Philippines, and Mexico. On the other hand, the UK, along with Turkey and Japan, occupied the lowest positions.
The results of the Global Flourishing Study are in sharp contrast to the World Happiness Report, which annually puts the Nordic countries at the top. The UK would usually rank in the top quarter of the 100 nations covered in that report. This gap, as per Prof. Tyler VanderWeele, an epidemiologist at Harvard University and one of the driving forces behind the study, may be due to more affluent, developed countries excelling in domains such as financial security and life satisfaction but lagging behind in relations and meaning in life. The study found that in richer countries, especially with higher GDPs, people tend to report lower levels of meaning in life.
List of countries that flourishes more
Source: Harvard University
Monitoring personal flourishing and global trends over time
As data continues to be gathered in the study, researchers hope to see how human flourishing changes over time as a result of world events. Prof. VanderWeele encouraged people to use the 12-question survey about flourishing to review their own lives at intervals. Monitoring changes in their own life might provide useful information on what in life is getting better or worse.
Though the findings are dramatic, Prof. Kate Pickett, an epidemiologist at the University of York, sounded a note of caution about the findings. She noted that self-report measures of well-being don't always match more objective measures of a country's health. For example, though Japan scores lowest on the flourishing scale, it has the highest life expectancy and lowest infant mortality rates among all the countries surveyed.
Pickett also highlighted the potential pandemic effect on the data. “I’m very surprised there’s not a single mention of the Covid pandemic,” she said. The disruptions caused by the pandemic—such as lockdowns, social anxiety, and educational interruptions—could have had a particularly negative impact on the flourishing of young people, especially in the years leading up to the survey.
Need for early support and tackling inequality to build thriving societies
In response to the findings, Pickett referenced established literature highlighting the imperative of securing a good start in life for children, ensuring secure livelihoods, and addressing economic inequality as crucial factors in achieving thriving societies. Preventing worse and reducing inequality can improve populations' overall well-being, especially that of young people.
The Global Flourishing Study highlights the imperative to give attention to the welfare of people in the UK and other developed countries, particularly young people. While economic success and life rating scores can be good in these countries, the survey indicates that human flourishing is far more nuanced, with meaning in life, relationships, and mental health being priority areas that need to improve dramatically.
What is Global Flourishing score
The main focus of the Global Flourishing Study is human flourishing, a concept with multiple dimensions. The study features 12 survey questions that assess six areas of flourishing, as identified in earlier research:
Participants' self-reported answers are used to calculate an index score ranging from zero to 10, where zero indicates no flourishing and 10 represents complete flourishing. A higher flourishing score indicates a greater level of overall well-being and life satisfaction across multiple domains. The score reflects a person’s sense of happiness, physical and mental health, purpose, character, relationships, and financial stability.
Conversely, a lower score (closer to 0) suggests that a person may be struggling with one or more of these dimensions, leading to a lower overall sense of flourishing.
The research, or the Global Flourishing Study , was conducted in 22 countries across six continents. It sought to measure a variety of human well-being factors, such as happiness, health, economic security, relationships, and meaning in life. The UK placed 20th using a scale that aggregated all these factors, which is an indication of a key concern regarding the flourishing of the country.
This large-scale survey used nationally representative samples to give a reflection of the experiences of close to half of the world's population. Initiated in 2022, the five-year project aims to collect data from more than 200,000 participants each year, creating an overall picture of what promotes or prevents human flourishing.
UK's low flourishing rank unveils crisis in youth well-being
Perhaps one of the more alarming discoveries of the study was the especially low well-being scores for young people in nations such as the UK, the US, and Australia. This result is counter to previous studies, which indicated that well-being is U-shaped across the life course, with the youngest and oldest age groups typically reporting higher satisfaction than middle-aged individuals.
In the UK, 18- to 24-year-olds, for instance, reported relatively low levels of life satisfaction compared to the 25- to 29-year-olds, who in turn scored less than those above the age of 80. "The very youngest in the UK do seem to be particularly struggling," agrees Dr. Tim Lomas, a psychologist in the study, indicating the immediate need for greater focus on the welfare of this age group.
Findings that defines the countries flourishing score
The researchers set up a list of questions aimed at knowing about individuals' happiness, from youth and family bonds to education, religious observances, and being married. Then these data were evaluated to have the possible predictors of flourishing with the end product of a global score per nation. One of the most surprising findings was the ordering of the countries in terms of flourishing. Indonesia topped the list, followed by Israel, the Philippines, and Mexico. On the other hand, the UK, along with Turkey and Japan, occupied the lowest positions.
The results of the Global Flourishing Study are in sharp contrast to the World Happiness Report, which annually puts the Nordic countries at the top. The UK would usually rank in the top quarter of the 100 nations covered in that report. This gap, as per Prof. Tyler VanderWeele, an epidemiologist at Harvard University and one of the driving forces behind the study, may be due to more affluent, developed countries excelling in domains such as financial security and life satisfaction but lagging behind in relations and meaning in life. The study found that in richer countries, especially with higher GDPs, people tend to report lower levels of meaning in life.
List of countries that flourishes more
Source: Harvard University
Monitoring personal flourishing and global trends over time
As data continues to be gathered in the study, researchers hope to see how human flourishing changes over time as a result of world events. Prof. VanderWeele encouraged people to use the 12-question survey about flourishing to review their own lives at intervals. Monitoring changes in their own life might provide useful information on what in life is getting better or worse.
Though the findings are dramatic, Prof. Kate Pickett, an epidemiologist at the University of York, sounded a note of caution about the findings. She noted that self-report measures of well-being don't always match more objective measures of a country's health. For example, though Japan scores lowest on the flourishing scale, it has the highest life expectancy and lowest infant mortality rates among all the countries surveyed.
Pickett also highlighted the potential pandemic effect on the data. “I’m very surprised there’s not a single mention of the Covid pandemic,” she said. The disruptions caused by the pandemic—such as lockdowns, social anxiety, and educational interruptions—could have had a particularly negative impact on the flourishing of young people, especially in the years leading up to the survey.
Need for early support and tackling inequality to build thriving societies
In response to the findings, Pickett referenced established literature highlighting the imperative of securing a good start in life for children, ensuring secure livelihoods, and addressing economic inequality as crucial factors in achieving thriving societies. Preventing worse and reducing inequality can improve populations' overall well-being, especially that of young people.
The Global Flourishing Study highlights the imperative to give attention to the welfare of people in the UK and other developed countries, particularly young people. While economic success and life rating scores can be good in these countries, the survey indicates that human flourishing is far more nuanced, with meaning in life, relationships, and mental health being priority areas that need to improve dramatically.
What is Global Flourishing score
The main focus of the Global Flourishing Study is human flourishing, a concept with multiple dimensions. The study features 12 survey questions that assess six areas of flourishing, as identified in earlier research:
- Happiness and life satisfaction
- Physical and mental health
- Meaning and purpose
- Character and virtue
- Close social relationships
- Financial and material stability
Participants' self-reported answers are used to calculate an index score ranging from zero to 10, where zero indicates no flourishing and 10 represents complete flourishing. A higher flourishing score indicates a greater level of overall well-being and life satisfaction across multiple domains. The score reflects a person’s sense of happiness, physical and mental health, purpose, character, relationships, and financial stability.
Conversely, a lower score (closer to 0) suggests that a person may be struggling with one or more of these dimensions, leading to a lower overall sense of flourishing.
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