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Becca Monaghan
Jul 03, 2024
iStock
It may come as a surprise to some, but the UK has been voted one of the healthiest places in the world to raise a child.
Experts from Universal Drugstore explored various factors that contribute to a healthy childhood, from obesity rates to mental health and water quality.
Unsurprisingly, Finland takes first place scoring a staggering 7.08 out of 10. For seven consecutive years, Finland has also been named the happiest country in the world.
It is said to have one of the cleanest air qualities in the world and also has the highest PISA Scores3 when it comes to education. This score combines students' average math, reading, and science proficiency worldwide. The country’s average scores are almost 12.5 per cent higher than the global average.
Ireland takes second place with an overall score of 7.04. Ireland has the second-lowest rate of insufficient physical activity (72%) among adolescents compared to other countries, meaning a more active youth population. The country is also proficient in education, as it is in the top 10 with one of the highest PISA scores – 14.5% higher than the global average.
Coming in third is the Netherlands. The country has adopted a healthy and environmentally conscious lifestyle, from eating more plant-based products to cycling as a major form of transport. Unsurprisingly, it is in the top five countries with the lowest childhood obesity rates (4.8%) and the top 10 for being the happiest destination for the youth population, with a happiness score of 7.25 out of 10.
The UK ranked in eighth place, though the youth happiness score was one of the lowest out of the top 10 countries. Japan, despite coming in fourth place, had the lowest of 6.23.
You can see the full results here:
Rank | Country | Air Quality Index /500 | Water quality /100 | Youth obesity rate | Youth physical inactivity rate | Youth alcohol use | PISA score | Youth happiness score /10 | Health score /10 |
1 | Finland | 4.9 | 100.0 | 12.6% | 75.6% | 61.6% | 495 | 7.30 | 7.08 |
2 | Ireland | 6.3 | 100.0 | 8.3% | 72.0% | 71.1% | 504 | 6.95 | 7.04 |
3 | Netherlands | 8.7 | 100.0 | 4.8% | 80.3% | 60.6% | 480 | 7.25 | 6.95 |
4 | Japan | 9.6 | 91.8 | 4.4% | - | 45.2% | 533 | 6.23 | 6.77 |
5 | Iceland | 4.0 | 100.0 | 8.6% | 80.3% | 58.9% | 447 | 7.60 | 6.72 |
6 | Denmark | 7.7 | 95.8 | 5.5% | 84.6% | 63.6% | 491 | 7.33 | 6.62 |
7 | Czechia | 11.5 | 65.2 | 5.9% | 77.5% | 64.2% | 491 | 7.20 | 6.18 |
8 | United Kingdom | 7.7 | 100.0 | 11.3% | 80.0% | 62.0% | 494 | 6.75 | 6.17 |
9 | Austria | 9.6 | 100.0 | 10.5% | 77.9% | 67.9% | 486 | 7.14 | 6.08 |
10 | Sweden | 5.1 | 97.9 | 10.0% | 84.7% | 61.6% | 488 | 7.03 | 6.03 |
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