New research using data from Understanding Society has found that fruit and vegetable consumption and exercise can increase levels of happiness.
This research, led by the University of Kent and University of Reading, is the first of its kind to unravel the relationship between life satisfaction, the consumption of fruit and vegetables and exercising. One of the challenges of studying life satisfaction is the issue of ‘reverse causality’ – people who have better lifestyles may have greater life satisfaction, but it’s also possible that those who are more satisfied with life make healthier life choices.
To correct for this, 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 model which used lifestyle with a measure of delayed gratification. This asks individuals how successful they are in sticking with diets and in maintaining a longer-term perspective to the benefits of consumption. Delayed gratification was included, as it captures the extent of control people feel that they have over their lives and the weight that they give to lifestyle choices. Their analysis shows that it is eating more fruit and veg, and exercising more, that makes people happy and not the other way round.
The 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 wellbeing. The research also shows that although physical activity makes both men and women happier, men appear to benefit more from exercise than women. In contrast, women eat more fruit and vegetables.
With it being well known that lifestyle diseases are a leading cause of ill health and mortality worldwide, and the UK having one of the highest obesity rates in Europe, 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 not only makes us healthier but also happier, then it is a clear win-win situation.’
Professor Kambhampati said: “There has been a bigger shift in recent years for healthier lifestyle choices. To establish that eating more fruit and vegetables and exercising can increase happiness as well as offer health benefits is a major development. This may also prove useful for policy campaigns around environment and sustainability.”
Their research paper titled ‘Lifestyle and Life Satisfaction: The Role of Delayed Gratification’ is published by the Journal of Happiness Studies. doi: 10.1007/s10902-021-00440-y
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