Fruit, vegetables and exercising are key
A NEW study has found that fruit and vegetable consumption and exercise can increase levels of happiness.
The findings of the study were published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
While the link between lifestyle and well-being has been previously documented and often used in public health campaigns to encourage healthier diets and exercise, new findings showed there is also a positive causation from lifestyle to life satisfaction.
This research is the first of its kind to unravel the causation of how happiness, the consumption of fruit and vegetables and exercising are related, rather than generalising a correlation.
The researchers, Dr Adelina Gschwandtner (University of Kent’s School of Economics), Dr Sarah Jewell and Professor Uma Kambhampati (both from the University of Reading’s School of Economics), used an instrumental variable approach to filter out any effect from happiness to lifestyle.
It showed that it is rather the consumption of fruit and vegetables and exercising that makes people happy and not the other way round.
Findings demonstrate that the ability of individuals to delay gratification and apply self-control plays a major role in influencing lifestyle decisions, which in turn has a positive impact on well-being. The research also shows that men appear to exercise more, and women eat more fruit and vegetables.
These findings could have significant implications for public health policy, Dr Gschwandtner said: “Behavioural nudges that help the planning self to reinforce long-term objectives are likely to be especially helpful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If a better lifestyle makes us healthier and also happier, it’s a clear win-win.” |