If you want to be happy, take a cue from Alvin Wong of Hawaii.

According to a formula used by Gallup to measure wellbeing, the paragon of contentment would be a tallish Asian-American Jew who was in his 60s, married with children, living in Hawaii and earning more than £80,000 year.

When the New York Times searched for a person who matched that profile, they found Mr Wong (left), 69, a convert to Judaism of Chinese American stock. He and his wife Trudy Schandler-Wong have been married for 35 and have two children and belong to two synagogues. Among his ingredients for a happy life are a sense of humour, religious outlook and good friends - and perhaps the kosher kalua turkey which, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser, the Wongs serve guests at Thanksgiving.