The Principal Financial Well-Being Index has found American workers are optimistic about their physical and financial health and see a link between the two.

Key findings:

• Only 4 percent of workers rated themselves as physically unhealthy, and 52 percent indicated they are making good progress toward their long-term financial goals.
• Eighty-seven percent of workers agree that being physically healthy is an investment in their financial future.
• Seventy-seven percent believe that spending time and money on their physical health now will help to avoid major health costs later in life.

“It’s one thing to recognize the critical role of health and financial stability in determining our future well-being, but it is another thing entirely to take the necessary actions to achieve those goals. As the future becomes more uncertain than ever before, it’s crucial that younger generations take control of their finances and health as early as possible,” said Jerry Ripperger, vice president of consulting for Principal Financial Group Inc. “As Americans head to the beach this summer, there is a heightened awareness around physical health and fitness. It’s a great time to also check in on our financial well-being.”

The survey was conducted online in February by Harris Poll. More than 1,110 American workers age 18 and older were surveyed at  small to mid-sized businesses.