It really is more fun in the Philippines, at least according to the latest Gallup-Healthways Global Well-Being Index, which places the country in 43rd spot and ahead of many other countries, some of which may surprise you:.
The latest Global Well-Being Index: Panama leads the way
The Global Well-Being Index measures well-being across five elements (purpose, social, financial, community and physical) and individual responses are categorized as thriving, struggling or suffering. It is based on more than 146,000 surveys in 145 countries and areas, and captures how people feel about and experience their daily lives. The analysis then ranks countries based on the percentage of the population that is thriving in three or more elements of well-being.
The top five countries with the highest well-being are Panama, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Switzerland and Belize, while the places with the unhappiest inhabitants are Tunisia, Togo, Cameroon, Bhutan and Afghanistan.
The Philippines ranks 43rd, ahead of the UK
The Philippines ranks in 43rd place, behind countries like Germany (28), Australia (40) and Malaysia (41), but the index also places the land of 100 million smiles way ahead of other Asian countries like Thailand (50), Taiwan (59), Indonesia (73), Japan (92), Vietnam (93) and even Singapore (97). That’s right, citizens of the Philippines enjoy a higher general well-being than those of super clean and hyper efficient Singapore – or at least that’s what this survey suggests.
Not so much fun to be in Spain or Italy right now, according to the study
Peter Choueiri, President, Healthways International, commented: “Through scientific and peer-review research, we know that improving a population’s well-being has a significant impact on increasing performance and lowering healthcare costs. The fact that only 17% of the world’s population is thriving in three or more elements of well-being represents a huge opportunity for country and community leaders, employers, insurers and any population health stakeholder. There are proven interventions that these leaders can and should leverage to improve the health and well-being of their populations and, at the same time, create measurable economic value.”
Singapore ranks a low 97th out of a total 145 countries
Arnaud Bernaert, Senior Director, Head of Global Health and Healthcare Industries, World Economic Forum, added: “Global leaders are becoming increasingly focused on truly understanding the health and productivity of their populations. We need standardized global measurements and comparative data to help nations identify their biggest opportunities for improving the lives of the people within their borders. These insights will guide future investments in health and well-being.”
So, what do you think? Is the study accurate and citizens of the Philippines really enjoy a greater general well-being than any Brits, Singaporeans or Italians? Let us know what you think in the comments. You can read the whole report for free by following the below link:
https://www.well-beingindex.com
