Why Are Dutch Children Recognized As The Happiest In The World?

A study by The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), places the Netherlands in the top spot for overall child well-being based on the average of material well-being, health & safety, education, behaviors & risks and housing & environment. Norway follows closely in second place, followed by Iceland, Finland and Sweden — all Nordic countries.

The study highlights some key findings:

• Only in the Netherlands and Portugal does the percentage of children who eat breakfast every day exceed 80%.
• The Netherlands and the Nordic countries, along with Luxembourg and Switzerland, have the smallest percentage of children reporting low family affluence.
• The Netherlands, Slovenia and Switzerland have the lowest rates of teenage births.
• Alcohol abuse by young people is 10% or less in only eight countries: France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United States.
• 95% of children surveyed in the Netherlands report a high level of life satisfaction.

Maybe it’s time to go Dutch?

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Image: Anastasia Polyakova