Hidden keys to health

Living a healthy lifestyle goes well beyond having the willpower to order a salad instead of fries. According to new research from the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index—based on more than 177,000 interviews with American adults last year—three unseen factors influence positive eating habits:

• Surrounding yourself with supportive, health-conscious people. The index found a strong link between healthy eating habits and three measures of social support—having someone who encourages you to be healthy; having friends and family who give you positive energy; and having a tight relationship with a spouse, partner or close friend.

• Finding the right career. A working theory is that having a strong sense of purpose gives you a reason to eat well and live your best possible life.

• Straightening out your finances. If you have enough money that you’re not worried about maintaining your standard of living or saving for retirement, you’re spared a source of long-term stress and, therefore, more likely to make sound dietary decisions.