Norway tops the global happiness rankings this year, followed closely by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland / Alvov/SHUTTERSTOCK
Social support is key to happiness, and the World Happiness Report 2017, released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network in late March, shows just how important those foundations can be in shaping the overall happiness of a country.
Norway tops the global happiness rankings this year, moving up from 4th place in 2016, followed closely by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland. All of the top-four ranked countries score highly on the factors found to support happiness: caring, freedom, generosity, honesty, health, income and good governance.
But the report points out that about half of the differences in rankings can be explained by things like having someone to count on, generosity, a sense of freedom and freedom from corruption – all key to strong social foundations. The other half is attributed to GDP per capita and healthy life expectancy – both of which also depend on the social context.
“The Scandinavian countries are very big on social support,” Dr Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, one of the study’s associate editors and a speaker at the 2016 Global Wellness Summit, told Time magazine. “The top countries, you can see, have societies which are not at each other’s throats. But they also have high GDP per capita.”
The US dropped one point this year to number 14, despite increases in income and healthy life expectancy. But the four social rankings – generosity, social support, trustworthy governance and freedom – all dropped, suggesting that American happiness is dwindling primarily due to social causes rather than economic ones.
Mental health is also extremely important to happiness, the report finds. In Western societies, diagnosed mental illness has more of an effect on happiness than income, employment or physical illness. In every country, physical health is also important, yet in no country is it more important than mental health. In all countries, the most powerful effect would come from eliminating depression and anxiety, which are the biggest forms of mental illness.
The report also found that people in China are no happier than they were 25 years ago, and that much of Africa is struggling when it comes to happiness.
The first World Happiness Report was published in 2012. Since then, happiness is increasingly seen as a measure of social progress and a goal of public policy.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Wellness communities: Europe
Part 2 of our series explores some of
the most exciting European wellness
communities in development
Promotional feature: Babor
CEO Michael Schummert explains how the
company’s expertise in results-driven treatments makes its precision
‘Made in Germany’ products more relevant than ever before
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
Norway tops the global happiness rankings this year, followed closely by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland / Alvov/SHUTTERSTOCK
Social support is key to happiness, and the World Happiness Report 2017, released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network in late March, shows just how important those foundations can be in shaping the overall happiness of a country.
Norway tops the global happiness rankings this year, moving up from 4th place in 2016, followed closely by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland. All of the top-four ranked countries score highly on the factors found to support happiness: caring, freedom, generosity, honesty, health, income and good governance.
But the report points out that about half of the differences in rankings can be explained by things like having someone to count on, generosity, a sense of freedom and freedom from corruption – all key to strong social foundations. The other half is attributed to GDP per capita and healthy life expectancy – both of which also depend on the social context.
“The Scandinavian countries are very big on social support,” Dr Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, one of the study’s associate editors and a speaker at the 2016 Global Wellness Summit, told Time magazine. “The top countries, you can see, have societies which are not at each other’s throats. But they also have high GDP per capita.”
The US dropped one point this year to number 14, despite increases in income and healthy life expectancy. But the four social rankings – generosity, social support, trustworthy governance and freedom – all dropped, suggesting that American happiness is dwindling primarily due to social causes rather than economic ones.
Mental health is also extremely important to happiness, the report finds. In Western societies, diagnosed mental illness has more of an effect on happiness than income, employment or physical illness. In every country, physical health is also important, yet in no country is it more important than mental health. In all countries, the most powerful effect would come from eliminating depression and anxiety, which are the biggest forms of mental illness.
The report also found that people in China are no happier than they were 25 years ago, and that much of Africa is struggling when it comes to happiness.
The first World Happiness Report was published in 2012. Since then, happiness is increasingly seen as a measure of social progress and a goal of public policy.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Wellness communities: Europe
Part 2 of our series explores some of
the most exciting European wellness
communities in development
Promotional feature: Babor
CEO Michael Schummert explains how the
company’s expertise in results-driven treatments makes its precision
‘Made in Germany’ products more relevant than ever before
Private hotel owner and developer HVL Hotels will open a new luxury resort and tourism
destination called Laval Hunter Valley in the second half of 2027 in Pokolbin, Australia.
The annual wellness festival dedicated to wellbeing, culture, longevity and human connection,
called Alma, will be hosted by Rocco Forte hotel, Verdura Resort in Sicily, Italy.
Capella Hotel Group has appointed Feisal Jaffer as chief development officer as the company
ramps up its global expansion of both its Capella and Patina brands.
People taking GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound
may be losing weight, but they’re also becoming less physically active, according to new
research presented at the ENDO 2026 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Global retreat trade show, Synergy The Retreat Show, has launched a resource called The
Source, which hosts an open-access online Transformation Series programme.
The Standards Authority for Touch in Cancer Care (SATCC) charity has announced its first five-
day Living with Cancer and Beyond retreat, which will be held at Carden Park Hotel and Spa in
Cheshire, UK, between 1 and 5 September.
Patmos Aktis, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, has opened in Greece, with a renovated and
rebranded wellness offering called Ansana Wellness and Spa.
The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property in Hawaii, US, has opened its
22,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor Spa at Mauna Kea as the final step in the property’s overall
renovation, which has cost more than US$180 million (€166 million, £140 mill
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
