What makes for a flourishing life? A five-year longitudinal data collection and research collaboration measures global human flourishing across six areas: happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships, and material and financial stability. Dr. Tyler J. VanderWeele, professor of epidemiology at Harvard University and director of the Human Flourishing Program, and Byron Johnson, director of the Institute for Studies of Religion and distinguished professor of the social sciences at Baylor University, join the podcast to discuss The Global Flourishing Study.

Historically, incumbent presidents with approval ratings of 50% or higher have won reelection, and presidents with approval ratings much lower than 50% have lost. What does this mean for Joe Biden -- and how does his rating stack up against previous incumbents who have run for reelection? Lydia Saad, Gallup’s director of U.S. social research, joins the podcast to discuss Americans’ views on whether Biden’s deserves to be reelected, as well as the favorable ratings of Biden and Donald Trump. She also offers a sneak peek at upcoming data on the reasons Americans give behind their approval and disapproval of Biden’s performance.

The challenges posed by climate change will fall disproportionately on the world’s youth -- but how well do they understand the challenges they face? What are their perspectives on climate change, and where are they getting their information? Moira Herbst, special projects editor at UNICEF Innocenti, and Nahjae Nunes, a UNICEF Youth Foresight Fellow, join the podcast to discuss the latest findings from the UNICEF-Gallup Changing Childhood survey.

The Hologic Global Women’s Health Index is one of the most comprehensive initiatives measuring the state of health for 97% of the world’s women and girls. Though the pandemic may be over, the Index reveals that women’s health is no better now than it was at the height of it -- and in some cases, women’s health is now worse. Laura Gillespie, vice president for Women's Health Initiatives at Hologic, joins the podcast to discuss women’s testing for deadly diseases, their emotional health and their experiences across the world. “The Index findings make it exceedingly clear that it’s time for world leaders to take a bolder stand for women and girls,” Gillespie says. “Women are the backbone of families, the backbone of communities and economies -- and investing in women’s health benefits all of us.”

Despite a substantial need within the U.S. foster care system, most Americans are unaware of whether they are eligible to adopt. And while Black Americans are the most likely to already know they are eligible and are more likely to indicate interest in foster care and adoption, they are also more critical of specific aspects of the system. A report from Gallup and Kidsave highlights the perspectives and experiences of Black Americans with foster care, gaps in public knowledge about the foster care system and the barriers that prevent many from providing care. Shantay Armstrong -- Strategic Communications Manager for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion -- joins the podcast to discuss Kidsave’s EMBRACE Project and the many ways in which Americans can support foster children.

How have Israeli perspectives changed since the attacks on Oct. 7? Jay Loschky, Gallup’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, joins the podcast to discuss how Gallup has recently collected public opinion data in the country and how attitudes have shifted in recent months.

Parents often rely on a small subset of measures to gauge their children’s progress, but there is a more holistic way of evaluating student performance. Cindi Williams, cofounder and senior adviser at Learning Heroes, joins the podcast to discuss the latest report, B-flation: How Good Grades Can Sideline Parents.

The world is a bit more confident in its local police, according to Gallup's latest update on its annual Law and Order Index. But that’s not to say it feels any safer. Julie Ray, managing editor for world news, joins the podcast to discuss the latest developments in perceptions of global law and order. Later, Jesus Rios, Gallup’s regional director for Latin America, breaks down the findings in Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil and the larger Latin American region.

People who enjoy cooking and dine frequently with friends or family may receive a boost in their wellbeing, according to new research from the Ajinomoto Group and Gallup. The new report, Wellbeing Through Cooking: Global Insights Into Cooking Enjoyment and Eating Together, explores how people’s relationships with cooking and dining vary across the world. The report also examines those in high-income countries who habitually eat alone -- and the implications for their wellbeing. Gallup Research Director Andrew Dugan joins the podcast to discuss the latest findings.

How big of a problem is food waste in the United States, and how much are we wasting? What causes us to waste food? Are we taking the wrong messages from expiration dates? And could waste have broader consequences than many are aware of? MITRE’s Dr. Laura Leets, senior principal social scientist, and Dr. Jay Schnitzer, senior vice president, corporate chief engineer and chief medical officer, join the podcast to discuss the latest report from MITRE and Gallup, The State of Food Waste in America.