The Global Flourishing Study
Massive world-wide study reveals that flourishing isn’t always about wealth—relationships, purpose, and community make all the difference.
Ever wondered what truly helps people thrive across the globe—and whether your background, relationships, or even childhood experiences shape your chances of flourishing? The Global Flourishing Study (GFS) tackles this big question, revealing surprising patterns in well-being across 22 countries and involving over 200,000 people.
The Global Flourishing Study is a massive, 5-year, open-access research project tracking more than 200,000 people in 22 countries across all six populated continents. Its goal is to map out what leads to flourishing—defined as having all aspects of life (health, happiness, meaning, character, relationships, financial security) in a good state—and to highlight universal versus country-specific patterns.
Key Points
Flourishing is Multidimensional: It covers physical, emotional, cognitive, volitional (character), social, and material well-being.
Global Reach: The study includes diverse, nationally representative samples, with annual data collection planned for five years.
Detailed Analysis: The study looks at how demographics (age, gender, marital status, employment, education, religion) and childhood experiences (parental relationships, abuse, financial status, health, religious upbringing) relate to adult flourishing.
Aim
To understand the distribution and determinants of flourishing worldwide, and to identify which factors are universal or culturally specific.
Methods
Participants: Over 200,000 adults from 22 countries, with nationally representative sampling.
Measures: Composite flourishing index (12 items: happiness, health, meaning, character, relationships, financial security), plus detailed demographic and retrospective childhood experience data.
Analysis: Meta-analysis of country-specific results, with sensitivity analyses to check for bias or confounding.
Results
Flourishing Varies by Country: The highest composite flourishing scores were in Indonesia, Mexico, and the Philippines; the lowest in Japan, Turkey, and the UK.
Demographics Matter:
Age: Flourishing generally increases with age, but not in all countries (e.g., U-shaped in India, Egypt, Kenya, and Japan; decreasing with age in Poland, and Tanzania).
Gender: Men and women are similar globally, but some countries show differences (e.g., men flourish more in Brazil, women in Japan).
Marital Status: Married people mostly report higher flourishing than singles or divorced/separated individuals.
Employment: Employed and self-employed people flourish more than the unemployed.
Education: More education is linked to higher flourishing in most countries.
Religion: Regular religious service attendance is strongly linked to higher flourishing, with a notable dose-response effect.
Childhood Experiences:
Parental Relationships: Good relationships with parents are linked to higher adult flourishing.
Financial Status: Comfortable childhood finances predict higher adult flourishing; financial hardship predicts lower.
Abuse/Feeling Like an Outsider: Childhood abuse and feeling like an outsider are linked to lower adult flourishing.
Health: Excellent childhood health is linked to higher adult flourishing; poor health predicts lower.
Religious Upbringing: Weekly religious service attendance in childhood is linked to higher adult flourishing.
Robustness: These associations are robust to potential confounding, as shown by sensitivity analyses.
Practical Takeaways
Prioritise Relationships: Positive relationships with family and friends are strongly linked to well-being—invest time in building and maintaining these connections.
Stay Active and Engaged: Employment or meaningful activity (like regular training or volunteering) is associated with higher flourishing.
Mind Your Mental Health: Childhood adversity (abuse, feeling like an outsider) can impact adult well-being—addressing past trauma or seeking support can help.
Consider the Role of Community and Spirituality: Regular participation in community or religious activities is one of the strongest predictors of flourishing across cultures.
Age is Not a Barrier: Flourishing can increase with age, so keep investing in your health, relationships, and purpose as you get older.
Key Takeaways
Flourishing is complex and context-dependent: What matters most can vary by country and culture, but some factors (like relationships, employment, and community involvement) are nearly universal.
Childhood matters—but not everything: Positive childhood experiences boost adult flourishing, but adversity can sometimes lead to resilience and growth.
Policy and personal action can make a difference: Supporting young people, fostering community, and addressing childhood adversity are all pathways to societal flourishing.
In summary:
The Global Flourishing Study shows that thriving in life is shaped by a mix of personal, relational, and societal factors. For lifters and fitness enthusiasts, this means that building strong relationships, staying engaged in meaningful activities, and being part of a supportive community are as important as physical health for overall well-being.
Reference
VanderWeele, T. J., Johnson, B. R., Bialowolski, P. T., Bonhag, R., Bradshaw, M., Breedlove, T., Case, B., Chen, Y., Chen, Z. J., Counted, V., Cowden, R. G., Antonio, P., Felton, C., Fogleman, A., Gibson, C., Grigoropoulou, N., Gundersen, C., Jang, S. J., Johnson, K. A., . . . Yancey, G. (2025). The Global Flourishing Study: Study Profile and Initial Results on Flourishing. Nature Mental Health, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00423-5
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