While obesity and smoking are but a couple of the known risk factors for early mortality, psychologists at Brigham Young University in Utah have discovered a connection between social isolation and premature death.
Researchers conducting a meta-analysis discovered that loneliness and social isolation better predicted premature death amongst those under the age of 65, despite the fact that older people exhibit a higher overall risk of mortality. Not to mention that they’re more likely to be lonely given their old age.
The study’s lead author Julianna Holt-Lunstad was quoted by Medical News Today as having said that the effect is “comparable to obesity” in the sense that it must be taken “very” serious.
The effect of this is comparable to obesity, something that public health takes very seriously […] We need to start taking our social relationships more seriously.
Prior research indicated that social connections can have a positive influence on the physical well-being of humans. It can also have a positive impact on our psychological and emotional well-being.
In the study, which marks the first to target social isolation and loneliness as its focus, both loneliness and social isolation were found to have the same effects on premature mortality.
The study analyzed data across 70 studies which were conducted between the years of 1980 and 2014. The studies featured a total of 3 million participants and included data regarding living alone, social isolation and loneliness.
Tim Smith, co-author of the study, indicated that we are presently at the highest ever recorded rate of living alone and with loneliness rising, his team is “predicting a possible loneliness epidemic in the future.”
In other health coverage here on Immortal News, researchers have developed a working prototype bionic heart which has no heartbeat.
Do you think it’s time for humans to put an end to loneliness and if so, how would you suggest doing so?
