Nordic countries may not be as happy as you think, new research has shown.
Countries like Finland and Norway regularly top world happiness polls, but a new report shows this reputation masks the struggles of many citizens.
The report found 13.5 per cent of young Nordic people say they are ‘struggling or suffering’ – a number that rises to 16 per cent for residents aged over 80.
Researchers say factors like loneliness, high stress and pressure to succeed are threatening the mental health of 18 to 23-year-olds, while high rates of illness are responsible for the poor wellbeing in elderly citizens.
Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland led the 2018 ranking of the World Happiness Report, followed closely by Sweden, which placed ninth.
But the report’s authors argue the status of Nordic countries as ‘happiness superpowers’ disguises the sadness of significant portions of the population.
Nordic countries may not be as happy as you think, according to new research. Countries like Finland and Norway regularly top world happiness polls, but a report shows this reputation masks the struggles of many residents ()
The report, authored by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, looked at happiness data collected between 2012-2016.
It asked people to rate their satisfaction with life out of 10 – with those above a seven ranked as thriving, fives and sixes as struggling, and anyone who placed themselves at a four or lower deemed to be suffering.
In total, 12.3 people of people living in Nordic countries marked themselves as either struggling or suffering.
At 13.5 and 16 per cent respectively, the young and elderly had higher-than-average rates of poor wellbeing.
General health and mental health were both closely linked with happiness ratings –with income, unemployment and sociability also playing a part, researchers said.
Physical illness was the biggest barrier to wellbeing among the elderly, while mental health was a significant problem among the young.
The World Happiness Report, released in March, ranked 156 countries by happiness levels, based on factors such as life expectancy, social support and corruption. Finland topped the list, and was among five Nordic countries in the top 10
‘More and more young people are getting lonely and stressed and having mental disorders,’ one of the report’s authors, Michael Birkjaer, told the Guardian.
‘We are seeing that this epidemic of mental illness and loneliness is reaching the shores of the Nordic countries.’
More than 18 per cent of Danes aged 18 to 23 reported suffering from poor mental health – a number that rose to 23.8 per cent in young women.
In Finland, which ranked as the happiest country in the world in March, a third of all deaths in that age bracket were suicides.
Over the last five years, Norway saw a 40 per cent rise in the number of young people seeking help for mental health issues.
According to the report, young women consistently reported lower wellbeing than young men.
The report highlights that while Nordic countries are frequently ranked the happiest in the world, significant parts of the population are still struggling.
The World Happiness Report, released in March, ranked 156 countries by happiness levels, based on factors such as life expectancy, social support and corruption.
While the Nordic countries of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland topped the table, there was no place in the top ten for Britain, which was named 19th.
The UK was one place above the United Arab Emirates but behind the likes of Israel, Austria, Costa Rica, Ireland, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg.
The African nation of Burundi was at the bottom of the happiness index.
The United States fell to 18th place from 14th last year, despite the country becoming richer during that period.
Unlike past years, the annual report, which is published by the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, also evaluated 117 countries by the happiness and well-being of their immigrants.
Europe’s Nordic nations have dominated the index since it was first produced in 2012.
In reaching number one, Finland nudged neighbouring Norway into second place, scoring 7.632 in the 0 to ten scale.
Rounding out the top ten are Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia.
Propping up the table was the African nation of Burundi, with a score of just 2.905. The bottom ten also included Central African Republic, South Sudan, Tanzania, Yemen, Rwanda, Syria, Liberia, Haiti and Malawi.
Meanwhile Russia was 59th, France 23rd and China 86th.
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