A new report has found that individuals under the age of 30 are experiencing mid-life crisis-like feelings in certain parts of the world. The report, conducted by Jacqueline Howard for BBC News, reveals that the average happiness of young people is declining across Western countries, leading to the exclusion of the United States from the top 20 happiest nations for the first time in history.
Interestingly, Lithuania emerged as the top country for young people, with a happiness rating of 7.6 out of 10. Israel and Serbia followed closely behind in second and third place. Finland, on the other hand, remains the happiest country overall for the seventh consecutive year, but when focusing solely on its youth population, it ranks seventh.
The rankings also highlight the UK in 32nd place for young people, and the US dropping to 62nd. The decline in US rankings has been attributed to the decreasing wellbeing of Americans under 30. Additionally, research shows that older generations tend to be happier than those born after 1980, with the happiness divide widening as individuals age.
Policy-makers are being urged to take immediate action following the concerning findings, especially in North America and Western Europe. Miika Mäkitalo, Chief Executive of HappyOrNot, attributes Finland’s success to societal trust and a healthy work-life balance.
In terms of global happiness rankings, Denmark leads the way for individuals aged 60 and above, with the US ranking 10th and the UK in 20th place. India also sees increased satisfaction with age, while Afghanistan and Lebanon are reported as having the least happy populations across all age groups.
Overall, the report sheds light on the evolving happiness trends among different age groups and regions, urging a closer look at societal factors influencing overall wellbeing.