We already know the harmful effects of solitude on our mental state and our health. But its impact could be even bigger than we thought. According to research presented at the 125th convention of the American Psychological Association, isolation is more deadly than obesity.
“An Epidemic of Loneliness”
To find out, the researchers started by analyzing 148 studies on loneliness involving more than 300,000 participants. They found that isolated people were 50% more likely to die prematurely than those with good social connections. The researchers then analyzed 70 studies including nearly 3.5 million volunteers, in order to understand the impact of social isolation, loneliness or living alone on mortality. They observed that these three situations had a significant effect on the risk of death, since this was greater than the risk associated with obesity. “There is strong evidence to show that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase the risk of premature mortality and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators,” said lead author Julianne Holt-Lunstad. of the study.
This phenomenon could unfortunately increase in the years to come. “With a aging increasing, the effect on public health is only expected to increase. Indeed, many countries around the world suggest that we are facing an ‘epidemic of loneliness'”, concludes Julianne Holt-Lunstad.
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