A new study showed that Americans haven't exactly been well for half a decade. Their well-being even dipped a little in 2013.
Despite the national average remaining unchanged, there has been a reshuffling of states in the well-being list of 2013. North Dakota rose up to the top from the 10th place in 2012. Conversely, Hawaii bagged a lower position from being number one to number eight. West Virginia has been, unfortunately, consistent in being last for five consecutive years.
About 176,000 citizens from the 50 states took part in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index poll. The study calculates the overall health of Americans, both physically and mentally. Over 50 metrics containing the six classifications were used by the study used to determine Americans' health and happiness.
Research director Dan Witters told 24/7 Wall St. that well-being matters because it effectively reflects health, employment, education, and the local environment. He suggested that this means that a strong economy and a healthy, educated workforce can improve well-being, just as high well-being may also influence further development.
States that ranked high in their well-being scores showed that their citizens were less inclined to smoke and more inclined to maintain healthy lifestyles through regular exercise, as well as to learn new things daily. On the other hand, states with low scores had their citizens more prone to unhealthy practices or less able to meet their basic needs.
It is not surprising that the said individuals felt unhealthy in terms of their physical and emotional well-being. Among the rest of the American population, they form part of the most prone to developing health problems such as obesity, plus high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Their well-being is closely linked to their household incomes. A stable source of income will directly affect their purchasing capacity and determines whether or not they would be able to buy food, water and other essentials.
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