Higher life satisfaction associated with positive health and wellbeing outcomes

New research from UBC finds that higher life satisfaction is linked to better physical, psychological and behavioral health.

The research, which was recently published in The Milbank Quarterly, found that higher life satisfaction is linked to 21 positive health and wellbeing outcomes including:

• mortality risk decreased 26 percent
• 46 percent reduced the risk of depression
• reduced risk by 25 percent of physical activity restrictions
• reduced the risk of chronic pain by 12 percent
• reduced the risk of a 14 percent sleep problem
• apparently more than eight percent of frequent physical activity
• improved psychological well-being on a number of symptoms including higher: positive influence, hope, purpose in life, and mastery – as well as lower: despair, negative influence, perceived limitations, and loneliness

Dr. Eric Kim and his team examined data from a nationally representative sample of 12,998 U.S. adults over the age of 50, in which participants were asked to self-evaluate their life satisfaction and health.

This study is the first to see whether positive change in life satisfaction is associated with improved outcomes on a wide range of physical, behavioral and psychosocial health and well-being indicators over four years.

“Life satisfaction is an individual’s assessment of one’s own life based on factors they deem most relevant,” said Dr. Kim, an assistant professor in UBC’s psychology department and lead author of the study. “While life satisfaction is shaped by changing genetics, social factors and living conditions, it can also be improved both individually and collectively at the national level.”

Dr Kim says in recent years, intergovernmental bodies such as the United Nations (UN) and the World Health Organization have urged countries to use health indicators in addition to traditional economic indicators, such as GDP , when making policy decisions.

“The results of this study suggest that life satisfaction is a valuable target for policymakers to consider when contributing to physical, psychological, and behavioral health outcomes at the policy level,” says Dr. Kim.

The researchers decided to study a four-year period as emerging evidence suggests that changing rates of life satisfaction is an important determinant of voting behavior. In addition, election rounds take place around every four years in many countries.

“It is good for policy-makers’ election and re-election campaigns to consider how life satisfaction can be improved,” said Dr Kim. “But more importantly, understanding the potential impact of down-to-earth health and well-being can change people’s lives over a four-year period to make an assessment, and this is just the kind of question that has been tried. We respond in our inquiry. “

Dr Kim says policy makers interested in looking for practical ideas on how they can improve life satisfaction at the policy level can look at the Global Happiness and Wellbeing Policy Report, which is generated from the broader initiative of the co-led DAs. by UBC professor of economics UBC emeritus Dr. John Helliwell and Columbia University professor, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs.

“As our countries pause and re-evaluate our priorities as a result of the far-reaching change brought about by COVID-19, our policy makers have a rare and excellent opportunity to pursue all in the postmodern world. “