Lithuanian youth are recognized as the happiest in the world in a study

Lithuanians under the age of 30 are the happiest in the world, although people over 60 are only 44th among the 143 countries surveyed. Latvia occupies the 46th place in the ranking of the happiest countries – such data have been prepared for the twelfth time by the compilers of the happiness index, writes lrytas.lt.

The researchers took into account gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, social support, healthy lifestyles, various daily choices and corruption levels. The research was conducted by the Gallup agency and Oxford University Center for Well-Being, the methodology was prepared by prominent scientists of economics, sociology, psychology and data analysis.

In the overall happiness index in all age groups, some of the first places are occupied by the Scandinavian countries – the Finns are in the lead for the seventh time in a row. According to experts, such high places are provided by the idea of ​​the welfare state implemented in reality: excellent social guarantees, social care, trust in state institutions, low level of corruption. The impact is also the pursuit of social justice – in these countries there is no huge difference between the richest and the lowest income level.

Another feature of the Scandinavian region has been noticed – the harmonious coexistence of all age groups. The society in these countries is self-confident, neither the young nor the elderly feel discriminated against, those who have fewer opportunities for social life do not fear that they will be left alone in case of trouble, people here respect each other very much.

According to Lithuanian experts, this index does not so much describe a person’s sense of happiness as it shows the perception of satisfaction with life compared to past reality and future expectations.

The happiness index of young people in the USA and Western Europe has even decreased in recent years, although it has increased in our region. Serbia is in third place right behind the young people of Lithuania, Romania and the Czech Republic are also in the top ten. Israel is a country with a completely different historical destiny, it seems that there could be no sense of security there, but their young people are second only to Lithuanians in terms of happiness.

In this index, the youth of the USA is in a record low place – only 62nd, and the older generation – tenth. Germany has similar results.

It should be noted that the study was conducted from 2021-2023. for the year.

People’s incomes have grown significantly in Lithuania for 20 years, while this progress is less in the West, where young people have long been accustomed to high welfare standards. On the other hand, young people in Lithuania are much more in demand on the labor market, are more self-confident, set higher demands on employers and enjoy all the privileges.

This generation is also less afraid of the future, despite geopolitical threats, while older people, weighed down by historical tragedies, are especially worried about the threat of war. The well-being of the elderly is undoubtedly significantly worsened by relatively low pensions in Lithuania and, unlike young people, they cannot hope for an increase in income in the future. Social care is also lagging behind. We also have to take into account the low social activity of the elderly population, therefore, despite the happiest youth in the world, the pessimism of the elderly is natural, which drops Lithuania to 19th place in the overall happiness index.