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Gallup and Healthways Release March 2011 U.S. Well-Being Report

^{Published on 2011-04-14 07:40:15 - Market Wire}
 

WASHINGTON & NASHVILLE, Tenn.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Gallup and Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY) today released the Gallup-Healthways Monthly U.S. Well-Being Report for March 2011. All indices for the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index^® (WBI) for the month remained generally flat, with an Overall Well-Being Index composite score continuing to stay low at 66.3.

TheWork Environment Index (WEI) rose only a single point from Februarya™s historic low of 45.4. The WEI has suffered a steady decline driven by the wake of the recession. Opportunities for employees to use strengths at work improved nearly a point to 84.7 to account for the slight increase over last montha™s overall WEI score.

The Physical Health Index was at 75.8 in March, tying the all-time low from February 2009.The monthly findings show that obesity scores have hovered for two years in the same range at 26.7 percent. The percentage of Americans experiencing health problems dropped over a point to a near all-time low of 77.1 percent.

Not yet recovered to pre-recession levels, the Basic Access Index (BAI) remains low at 82.2. Dropping from 83.0 since December 2008, the economic downturn has caused four to five million American adults to discontinue their annual dental visits. Less than 65 percent of Americans (64.7 percent) visited a dentist in the last 12 months. Additionally, more Americans found it challenging to get fresh fruits and vegetables, as this metric dropped to 90.3 percent this month.

The Life Evaluation Index cleared 50 for the third consecutive month at 50.2.A strong 53.9 percent of Americans indicate they are thriving while 3.7 percent are suffering.

TheEmotional Health Index dropped below 79 for the second time in the last 15 months at 78.8. Fewer Americans are stressed (59.1 percent), which represents one of the lowest percentage levels ever recorded.

The Healthy Behavior Index continued its upward seasonal and anticipated trajectory in March reaching a score of 63.7. Based on historic WBI data, this score continues to climb in March, peaking into this summer. Conversely, smoking neared its all time low at 20.3 percent.In its three-year history, the WBI has never recorded fewer than 20 percent of American adult smokers and continuously stays in the 20 to 21 percent range month after month. The percentage of respondents that aate healthy all day yesterdaya improved to 67.5. The percentage of respondents that hadexercised at least three days in the last week for 30 minutes nudged up to 50.0.

To download the March report, please click [ here ]. For more on the science and methodology behind the WBI, please visit [ www.well-beingindex.com ].

About the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index^®

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index is the first and largest survey of its kind, with 1,000 calls a day, seven days a week. It is the official statistic for Well-Being in America, giving a daily measure of people's well-being at the close of every day based on the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of health as not only the absence of infirmity and disease but also a state of physical, mental and social well-being. The Well-Being Index describes the correlation between the places where people work and the communities in which they live, and how that and other factors impact their well-being. Additionally, the enterprise version of the Well-Being Index may be administered in workplaces throughout the U.S. to determine the Well-Being score of a specific employer population and how it compares to the employera™s state and nation. With such data, employers can uncover and address key factors that impact the productivity and financial health of the organization. For additional information, go to [ www.well-beingindex.com ].