ATLANTA (CBS Atlanta) – Sex means more to adults than having kids.

When asked about what makes them happiest, a group of adults participating in a survey ranked sex at the top of the list.

Drinking alcohol came in second place, with volunteering, religious contemplation and child care rounding out the top five spots, according to the website Daily News & Analysis.

The survey was conducted by researchers at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta consider the enjoyment of sex to be an important part of one’s overall sexual health.

“Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality,” the CDC states on its website. “It is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.”

Participants were also asked about the activities that ranked lowest on the happiness scale. Recovering from illness took first place in that regard, followed closely by using Facebook. Housework, text messaging and commuting were also ranked high on the list of unpopular activities.

Carsten Grimm, who coordinated the study, reportedly used cell phone and text message technology to collect data on the everyday lives of people.

While speaking with Daily News & Analysis, he referred to the technique as “experience sampling.”

“Those who tend to be high on all three orientations to happiness not only score high on life satisfaction, they also tend to have higher experiences of pleasure, meaning, engagement and happiness in their daily lives,” he was quoted as saying by the website. “This means that being able to seek happiness in different ways may enrich your everyday experience and increase your overall well-being.”