Britons are 'less optimistic for their children than parents in Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda' However, in Africa, despite a struggle to afford life's basic necessities, there is still considerable hope about the future. An average of 50 per cent think children growing up in their country today will be better off financially than their parents. Only 37 per cent think children will be worse off, according to the study conducted by Pew Research, an American pollster and research centre. In Britain, 17 per cent think children will be better off than them, while 74 per cent think they will be worse off. The study, which surveyed almost 40 countries across six continents, found Western European nations are among the least hopeful in the world about the next generation's prospects. Russia was the most optimistic European nation, with 40 per cent of parents believing their children will be better off than them, followed by the Czech Republic and Germany. France was ranked bottom of the European countries, with just nine per cent saying their children's lives will be better than theirs. Britain came third from bottom, and Italy second bottom. The most positive results were found in Asia and Latin America. China was the most optimistic nation surveyed, with 82 per cent saying they believe today's children will be better off than their parents. The study also found African nations were on average three times more optimistic about their economy than European countries. Some 15 per cent of Britons are optimistic about the economy, while 83 per cent are pessimistic. Greece is the least optimistic nation in Europe, with just one per cent classing economic conditions as "good." Germany is the most optimistic, with three quarters expressing optimism about the economy. Overall, 15 per cent of Europeans are optimistic about economic conditions, compared to 41 per cent of Africans.