Study Finds Spain Most Active EU Country

While Spain is currently being cooked by the kind of sweltering heat that is good for exercising in, the fact Spain sees so much warm weather all-year-long is no doubt one of the reasons that it is the most active country in the European Union.

Researchers from the Stanford University in America tracked average step counts of people across 46 countries based on data from their smartphones.

The study showed that the average Spaniard walks 5,936steps, putting the country ahead of every other country in the EU. Hong Kong was the most active country on a global scale, with China and Japan coming in second and third. Indonesia came in last.

The Spanish proved to be much more active than the rest of Europe. The rest of the top five was made up of Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Britain. The Greeks came in last for Europe, averaging around 4,400 steps each day.

The reason behind the research was to assess the correlation between activity and obesity and heart disease rates. This is one example where correlation is in fact causation. Hong Kong is one of the most active countries and also the country with some of the lowest heart disease and obesity rates there is. Hong Kong was also the country that saw the smallest gap between the most and least active walkers. The study showed there was also a connection between the size of this gap and obesity rates.

The Stanford professors refer to it as an “activity in equality” and say that it is a good indicator of the general health of the population of a country. Hong Kong scored top in the world with a rating of 22.2, while Spain was able to place in the global top 10 with a rating of 26.1.

Following the data would make the least active countries the USA, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Canada – which also happen to be the countries with the largest carbon footprints in the world per capita.

Given the active nature of Australians however, it looks like step-count data isn’t enough by itself to determine the health of a nation.

For Spain however, the combination of an outdoors lifestyle, Mediterranean diet, and solid balance between work and life have apparently created one of the healthiest countries there is.

Study Finds Costa del Sol is Home to Most Accessible Airport in Europe

Study Finds Costa del Sol is Home to Most Accessible Airport in Europe

Malaga Airport is now one of the top airports in Europe

While it could not be the most scientific study ever performed, the millions of tourists expected to hit the Costa del Sol in 2017 are unlikely to care. Travel info and comparison platform GoEuro has ranked the Malaga airport as being the easiest one to access with public transport in Europe.

The Malaga-Costa del Sol terminal got a total score of 99.9 out of 100, putting it ahead of the other 29 busiest airports in the continent as far as accessibility goes; in particular with regards to public transport.

Even though the airport doesn’t have overground and underground railway connections like other major airports in Europe, it is appealing because of its sheer simplicity; there are quick, affordable, and regular buses connecting the terminal to the centre of Malaga for just €2 (or €1.80 for the train), with fleets of coaches ready to ferry holidaymakers over to Marbella, Torremolinos, Fuengirola, and even further.

Since the Malaga-Costa del Sol airport received an upgrade in 2010, it has become one of the unsung heroes in the record-breaking success the Costa del Sol has seen with tourism, efficiently moving thousands of holidaymakers to and from southern Spain with barely any hassle.

Passenger numbers for this year are already up 18.4% compared to the same time period in 2016, suggesting 2017 is going to be another record breaking year.

While many of the arrivals will head straight for the coast, the Malaga-Costa del Sol airport is also top of the charts due to its location near a city centre, as you can be in the heart of Malaga with a short trip o a bus or train. Second and third place in proximity to the city centre went to the Lisbon and Nice-Cote d’Azure  airports respectively.

Elsewhere in the country, the Palma de Majorca airport came in ninth for accessibility, with 10^th and 11^th place taken by El Prat in Barcelona and Madrid-Barajas airports for their quick, convenient, and affordable public transport.

The study found that Warsaw airport in Poland was where the cheapest public transport airport journey could be found in Europe.

Why Spanish Women Live Longer than Most

Why Spanish Women Live Longer than Most

The latest research from the medical journal The Lancet shows that the Spanish women that will be born in 2030 can expect to live to the ripe old age of 90.

Its a fact that Spain is one of the best places to live in the world

The current life expectancy for Spanish women is around 84years, but it’s expected that medical advancements mean this figure will rise to 88.1 years in the next few decades – and it could end up being over 90 years.

The study also discovered that the conservative estimate that 90 was the highest average life expectancy is, in fact, too conservative. They expect that the average life expectancy will soon hit 125 years in some places.

Not every nation can expect to live this long though. The USA is the worst performer for life expectancy out of the 35 developed economies in the survey. American women born in 2030 would have an average life expectancy of 83.3 years.

The report suggested there were a range of factors as to why the rich USA couldn’t provide the kind of longevity offered by the countries that topped the list such as Canada, South Korea, Japan, Spain, Australia, Switzerland and France.

The national average life expectancy for women in America has been pulled down by the lack of universal healthcare, and the unusually high rates of child and maternal mortality. Obesity also remains a lingering issue in the country, as does homicide. Men don’t fare much better, and are expected to have an average life expectancy of 79.5 years of age by 2030; which is still below the 82.5 years the average Spanish man of today can expect to live.

So what is it about countries like Spain, Japan, and South Korea that allows them to top the lists? These three nations might have their share of poverty, but scientists remain convinced that the excellent healthcare and healthy lifestyle each country has is the main reason the people there can expect to live so long.

Spain offers incredible liberties for women despite the heavy Catholic influence, making things equal between both sexes. It also has great healthcare. Obesity and cholesterol are beaten by the traditional Mediterranean diet of fruit, vegetables, fish, and olive oil, and the country enjoys a generally active lifestyle. The Spanish are social and outdoorsy. The Spanish family unit is so strong that elderly Spanish people rarely feel lonely because their family is always around.

So, if you want you and your offspring to enjoy a long and healthy life, then it looks like Spain is where you should be – especially if you’re a woman.

Malaga Residents Found to be Among Most Satisfied in EU

Malaga Residents Found to be Among Most Satisfied in EU

A new study ranking EU cities in terms of wellness and satisfaction of their residents has found that Malaga residents are the fourth-most satisfied people in all of Europe.

Costa Del Sol Residents are some of the most

satisfied residents in the EU

The EU study looked at 40,000 EU residents across 79 cities and asked them their general opinions on everything from healthcare, the environment, to safety and leisure facilities. Each city was given a score out of 100, with Malaga getting an overall score of 96. This put the city in fourth place behind Aalborg in Denmark, which got 99, Hamburg in Germany with 98, and Copenhagen, Groningen, Oslo and Zurich, all of which tied with 97.

Malaga was still the top ranked city in Spain. It came out ahead of Oviedo, which scored 94, and the 90 ranking of Barcelona. Four Spanish cities were polled in all and fourth place went to Madrid, which scored 86.

Despite the high score there were some aspects of Malaga that scored poorly. Healthcare in particular scored badly, with one sector awarding a score of just 63 out of 100. Malaga also ranked poorly in Education. A whopping 94% of Malaga citizens said that finding a job was difficult.

Even though Malaga citizens were concerned about how clean the city was, they were still quite happy with the safety, leisure facilities, transport, and cost of living of the city.

The least-satisfied citizens in the EU can be found in Naples, Palermo, and Istanbul. These three are part of a small handful of cities that ranked below 80 points.

Three Reasons Spain Is the Most Popular Emigration Choice for Brits

Three Reasons Spain Is the Most Popular Emigration Choice for Brits

With sunshine all year its no wonder why so many brits love Spain

Spain has always been the most popular places in Europe for Brits to emigrate to and it’s quite clear why.

There is a time where for one week a year Britain managed to have higher temperatures than Spain and the tabloids were always smug about it. They would delight in declaring that people were choosing a staycation and laughing at people who left the homeland for warmer weather. That week has now come and gone.

Temperatures in the UK are back down to their average of between 12-17ºC and things are shifting back to normal now with many Brits looking for some fun in the sun and freedom from the rain.

All of this has made the new report from MoveHub quite timely. The relocation specialists published a report showing that Spain has become the third most popular destination Brits looking for help on emigrating go to. It’s not the best overall, but it is the best in Europe. First and second place went to Australia and the US.

Those two places are definitely long-haul so it’s always best to consult specialists such as MoveHub before making any major decisions. If you’re choosing somewhere close to home, such as Spain, then it’s close enough for you to try to handle on your own. With the Cost of living so low in Spain always being the choice for Brits looking to move into the sun but still be close to their real home.

With that in mind here are three of the reasons that Spain is such a hot choice for Brits looking to move abroad.

1.      Sunshine All The Time

Spain is guaranteed to stay sunny practically all year round. Even in December the temperature can come in at around 25 degrees. No matter what time of year it is, from spring, to summer, from March to August, one thing Spain can guarantee you is the sunshine.

On the other hand the UK is one of the darker countries there is. It’s not hard to imagine someone wanting to move somewhere brighter. Spain brings this to a whole new level though by being sunny all year round. With all that sun and heat comes a relaxed attitude towards life.

2.      Not Many Cultural Differences

While Spain and Britain may be different, the way that we socialise isn’t.

Okay, yes, the traditional Spain; filled with flamenco dancing and bullfighting, is far from the country pub, Sunday roasts, and 9-5 lifestyle, but Spain and the UK have similar cultures overall.

A big part of this is, of course, that Brits have been moving to Spain for the better part of half a century. So of course Spain is becoming a little more British. Even if that wasn’t the case the two countries have some things in common. Both love bars, football, family, and having fun outdoors. The relationships between the countries and their cultures is only growing too.

3.      Many Chances to Enter the Property Market

No matter where you’re trying to buy a home in Spain you’ll find that the property market is well quipped to meet the needs of British buyers.

British buyers bought roughly 20% of the homes sold in Spain to a non-Spaniard last year. This is an impressive statistic on its own but it adds to the decades of investment in Spanish property from Brits. Brits have always been the biggest foreign investors in the Spanish market.

As a result developers in Spain know just what British buyers in Costa del Sol and Spain want in a home and have built homes ready for Brits. There is something for every Brit in the Spanish property market. With the pound slowly recovering it’s never been so affordable to buy Spanish property.