Scientists found that the loneliest were nearly twice as likely to die during their six-year study than the least lonely.However-
Compared with the average person in the study, those who reported being lonely had a 14% greater risk of dying. The figure means that loneliness has around twice the impact on an early death as obesity. Poverty increased the risk of an early death by 19%.
...Caroline Abrahams at Age UK said the study added to a growing body of research showing that being lonely not only made life miserable for older people, but also made them more vulnerable to illness and disease.
..."It's time we took loneliness seriously as a threat to a happy and healthy later life. We need to do more to support older people to stay socially connected."
The researchers found that some people were happy living a life of solitude. Others still felt lonely, and suffered the health impacts of loneliness, even with family and friends close by.Yes, well maybe that's because loneliness is a cognitive symptom of illness, not an independent variable.
...Previous studies have linked loneliness to a range of health problems, from high blood pressure and a weakened immune system to a greater risk of depression, heart attack and strokes. In his recent book, Loneliness, John Cacioppo, a psychologist at the University of Chicago, says that the pain of loneliness is akin to physical pain.
Don't you people read your own research? Or real science?
