Seventy percent of Americans are satisfied with their lives. That's according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's 2011 index. The index also measured things like work-life balance, safety and community among OECD's 34 member countries. Americans do well in income, housing and governance. We do less well in work-life balance – probably because we work more hours and don't have a national, paid, parental-leave policy. We do even worse in health. Our 77.9-year life expectancy is one year lower than the index's average. Nevertheless, we're much likelier to report we're in good health – which may be as good as it gets.

About 25% of American's don't get paid vacations because U.S. employers aren't obligated by federal law to provide them. That makes the U.S. the only industrialized nation not guaranteeing annual leave. When vacation time is offered in the U.S., it's to attract and keep workers. However, more than 24 industrialized countries require employers to offer 4 or more weeks of paid vacation. Brazil, Finland and France offer 6 weeks. A study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found working made Americans happier than Europeans because Americans associate work with success – making their employers more successful.

However, it doesn't seem Americans associate savings with success. A 2009 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research - based on a random sample of 2,100 adults – found 28% of American households said they couldn't come up with $2,000 for an emergency. Twenty-two percent said they probably couldn't. In households making $100,000-$150,000 annually nearly 25% said they couldn't or probably couldn't come up with the money. Although only 30% of Canadians, Italians and Netherlanders said they'd be unlikely to have $2,000, the Britons and Germans were in the same boat as Americans – without "life savings jackets".

If Americans - with or without savings - want to be healthy and fit, Minneapolis-St. Paul is the place to be. The 2011 American Fitness Index of the 50 most populous metro areas was based on factors like percentages of both exercisers and smokers, obesity rates and the availability of recreation facilities and farmers' markets. Among the reasons the Twin Cities ranked #1 were an above-average percentage of exercisers, a lower-than-average obesity rate, a relatively low percentage of smokers and many recreation areas. Washington, D.C.; Boston; Portland, Oregon; and Denver – respectively   – completed the top 5. Oklahoma City ranked #50 – making it fit – "to be tied".

About the Author:
Knight Pierce Hirst has written for television, newspapers and greeting card companies. Presently she writes a 400-word news blog that is published 3 times a week. KNIGHT WATCH is a second look at uniquely interesting news items that requires only seconds to read at http://knightwatch.typepad.com.