04/22/2016.

According to a study, published in the scientific journal Heart, being alone could have harmful consequences on health, especially for the heart. Explanations.

An increased risk of about 30%

A study, conducted by researchers at York University, finds that social isolation can lead to a 29% increased risk of having a heart attack and a 32% increased risk of having a stroke. Loneliness is therefore a risk factor as important as diabetes or stress.

To reach these conclusions, the researchers examined the medical data of more than 180,000 people, over a period ranging from 3 to 21 years. Of these, 4,600 suffered from blocked arteries due to a build-up of cholesterol, and another 3,000 had suffered a stroke. At the same time, they analyzed the results of around twenty studies. Result, according to the researchers, there is a link between these cardiac pathologies and isolation of the people studied.

Less sport and more obesity

” Loneliness has profound effects on the body Says Dr Nicole Valtorta, a researcher at York University in the UK and lead author of the study. ” Isolated or lonely people are less likely to participate in physical activity, eat well and visit their doctor less often “. ” In addition, we noted that they had a higher rate of obesity. She added.

This is a very important problem for the researchers, who called on the public authorities to set up social actions that would allow isolated people to have a little company and to do activities that ‘they would never have done alone. Social networks will not change anything, it is only through human contact that single people will be able to cope.

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