The biometric antecedents to happiness
Abstract
It has been suggested that biological markers are associated with human happiness. We contribute to the empirical literature by examining the independent association between various aspects of biometric wellbeing measured in childhood and happiness in adulthood. Using Young Finns Study data (n = 1905) and nationally representative linked data we examine whether eight biomarkers measured in childhood (1980) are associated with happiness in adulthood (2001). Using linked data we account for a very rich set of confounders including age, sex, body size, family background, nutritional intake, physical activity, income, education and labour market experiences. We find that there is a negative relationship between triglycerides and subjective well-being but it is both gender- and age-specific and the relationship does not prevail using the later measurements (1983/1986) on triglycerides. In summary, we conclude that none of the eight biomarkers measured in childhood predict happiness robustly in adulthood.
Main Authors
Format
Articles
Research article
Published
2017
Series
Subjects
Publication in research information system
Publisher
Public Library of Science
The permanent address of the publication
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-201709253805Käytä tätä linkitykseen.
Review status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0184887
Language
English
Published in
PLoS ONE
Citation
- Böckerman, P., Bryson, A., Viinikainen, J., Hakulinen, C., Hintsanen, M., Pehkonen, J., Viikari, J., & Raitakari, O. (2017). The biometric antecedents to happiness. PLoS ONE, 12(9), Article e0184887. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0184887
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Funder(s)
Research Council of Finland
Funding program(s)
Strategisen tutkimuksen ohjelmat STN, SA
Strategic research programmes, AoF
Additional information about funding
The Young Finns Study has been financially supported by the Academy of Finland: grants 286284, 134309 (Eye), 126925, 121584, 124282, 129378 (Salve), 117787 (Gendi), and 41071 (Skidi); the Social Insurance Institution of Finland; Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility area of Kuopio, Tampere and Turku University Hospitals (grant X51001); Juho Vainio Foundation; Paavo Nurmi Foundation; Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Finnish Cultural Foundation; Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation; Emil Aaltonen Foundation; Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation; Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation; and Diabetes Research Foundation of Finnish Diabetes Association. The Palkansaaja Foundation supported the use of linked data. Böckerman thanks the Strategic Research Council funding for the project Work, Inequality and Public Policy (293120). Jutta Viinikainen appreciates financial support from the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation (grant 6664) and OP Group Research Foundation. Jaakko Pehkonen acknowledges financial support from the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation (grant 6646). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
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2017
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