40 shades of grin
Ireland most social country in world, study reveals
TV host looked to be in discomfort ZOE Ball hits the road – and a few problems – as she gets into training for her Sport Relief charity cycle ride next month.
The TV and radio presenter was out with new boyfriend Michael Reed when she appeared to suffer back pain.
Businessman Michael, 47, comforted Zoe and literally provided a shoulder to cry on at the side of a country road in Kent.
Mum-of-two Zoe, also 47, is planning a marathon cycle to help raise awareness about mental health issues after the death last May of boyfriend Billy Yates, 40.
Father-of-three Michael seemed to lift Zoe’s spirits after the initial hiccup.
And they were soon riding in tandem once again.
A new study on the footprint of 151 nations found more than 97% of people here have friends or family they can depend on.
In the research released this week by the University of Leeds, scientists found Ireland is following the western trend of providing a good life to its population but at a high cost to the planet.
Experts gauged 11 different social markers of a good standard of living enjoyed by each country alongside seven different markers on their toll on Earth.
Star wept after back pain kicked in Zoe is back on the road with Michael Ireland was on par with Canada and many other developed nations in scoring high on education, happiness and high life expectancy, but poorly when it came to the environment.
Co-author of the study Dr Andrew Fanning said: “[Ireland] is up there in terms of life satisfaction and is the highest in the world in terms of social support.”
In the study – titled A Good Life for All Within Planetary Boundaries – other social barometers included employ- Fed-up Zoe gets a welcome hug from boyfriend Michael on training ride ment, life satisfaction, a network of friends and family and access to education.
Out of more than 150 countries studied, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands provide their citizens with the best standard of living with all 11 items on the list.
Denmark, Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Japan and Sweden provide 10 out of 11 and the United States, Canada and Ireland provide nine. Our country emerged as sixth in the world when it came to calorie intake while Belgium was at the top of the table and Austria and Turkey in second and third place. The research showed Irish people consume more than twice the calories eaten in Somalia on a daily basis. news@irishmirror.ie TV’S Marty Morrissey