Fridae

Gay and straight people are equally satisfied and happy with their lives, according to a new study.

Researchers analyzed data from surveys conducted between 1988 and 1996 of 1,500 men and women. Participants were asked about their sexual history and the gender of their sex partners. They were also asked about their quality of life, moods, satisfaction with life and their physical and mental health.

No significant differences in quality of life, mental health or satisfaction were identified between gay and lesbian and heterosexual men and women.

"We found little support for the idea that as a group, gays and bisexuals face more serious problems than do other groups," study co-author Dr. David L. Weis, a professor of family and consumer sciences at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, told Reuters Health. "Whatever affects quality of life is more complex than that."

The findings were published in The Journal of Sex Research.