Nestlé Leads New Interactive Study on Health and Happiness in Australia

Developed in connection with motivational psychologist from Sydney University, Dr Anthony Grant, the survey will also give people ideas about how to change their lifestyles to make them happier and healthier.

Sep 12 2011 --- Nestlé is asking up to half a million Australians to rate how happy and healthy they are in a first-ever study of its kind.

Emphasising its global commitment to Nutrition, Health and Wellness, Nestlé Australia developed the interactive Happily Healthy Project.

It examines key factors that contribute to health and happiness, exploring the complex relationship between the two.

Developed in connection with motivational psychologist from Sydney University, Dr Anthony Grant, the survey will also give people ideas about how to change their lifestyles to make them happier and healthier.

“It’s really hard to reach the goals in our lives unless we have some sort of benchmark,” explained Dr Grant.

“Sometimes people are hesitant to go online to do a self-assessment or a test as they think they could fail – but there are no right or wrong answers.”

The idea that happiness can influence health or wellbeing is being embraced by governments around the world.

Happiness and wellbeing

One of the pioneers was King Wangchuk of Bhutan who decided Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was not the best indicator of the country’s progress.

Instead he asked his economists to measure what he called "Gross National Happiness”.

A panel of economists commissioned by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009 suggested the replacement of GDP with a ‘Net National Product’ to measure the happiness of the people.

And more recently, British Prime Minister David Cameron also announced plans for a ‘happiness index’ in November 2010.

A central component of Nestlé’s Happily Healthy Project is the Happily Healthy Quotient (HHQ) where people, for the first time, can be scored on their level of fulfilment with life, both physically and emotionally.

Once participants sign up to the website and find their HHQ, a team of experts in psychology, nutrition and fitness, will provide them with tips to improve their overall wellbeing.

Katrina Koutoulas, Head of Corporate Marketing, and Jo Derry, Head of Insights and Planning for Nestlé Oceania, believe results will form part of further ongoing research by the Company to help people live happier and healthier lives.