Survey: Marriage larger factor in happiness than children

LONDON, May 31 (UPI) -- Britain's Office of National Statistics said its study indicates marriage makes people happier than religion, money or children.

The office said 165,000 people were asked to rate their lives in the areas of how satisfied they are, how worthwhile they viewed their lives as, their happiness and their anxiety, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

The office said it found marriage was the largest factor in happiness, far eclipsing earnings, home ownership, religious beliefs and having children.

The ONS said its analysis indicates having children had very little effect on happiness but boosted people's perception of their lives as "worthwhile."

"It [marriage] gives people a sense of stability, and a greater sense that their life is worthwhile," said Dawn Snape, one of the report's authors. "I think that the issue with children is that we probably all recognize the saying 'you are only as happy as your unhappiest child.' Parents have a responsibility and that in itself can add to the perceived burden. People are happiest in their youth and when they are older. Middle-aged people are the least happy because they have the most responsibility."