Thursday, January 23, 2025
Thursday January 23, 2025
Thursday January 23, 2025

Loneliness peaks in youth and old age

PUBLISHED ON

|

New study reveals U-shaped pattern of loneliness across the lifespan

Loneliness isn’t just a feeling confined to the twilight years; it has a U-shaped pattern, a new Northwestern Medicine study found. The research, examining nine longitudinal studies from around the world, identified higher levels of loneliness in younger and older adults, with the lowest during middle adulthood.

The study also pinpointed several risk factors for heightened loneliness across all age groups, including social isolation, lower education, and physical impairments.

Embed from Getty Images

“What was striking was how consistent the uptick in loneliness is in older adulthood,” said Eileen Graham, associate professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

This pattern of loneliness isn’t just a local phenomenon; it’s global. The study analyzed datasets from the U.K., Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, Israel, and more. These findings underscore the widespread nature of the loneliness epidemic and its impact on global health.

Loneliness isn’t just a feeling; it’s a significant health risk comparable to smoking. Graham stressed the need for interventions to address loneliness, particularly among older adults.

“Lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking daily,” Graham said. “We need targeted interventions to reduce social disparities and hopefully reduce levels of loneliness.”

The study identified individuals with higher persistent loneliness, who were disproportionately women, more isolated, less educated, had lower income, had more functional limitations, were divorced or widowed, were smokers, or had poorer cognitive, physical, or mental health.

The study’s findings highlight the importance of social interactions in mitigating loneliness and the need for interventions to address loneliness across all age groups

469 COMMENTS

  1. I¦ve been exploring for a little bit for any high-quality articles or weblog posts in this sort of space . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Studying this info So i am satisfied to show that I have a very excellent uncanny feeling I came upon exactly what I needed. I most surely will make sure to don¦t omit this website and provides it a glance on a relentless basis.

  2. Fitspresso is a brand-new natural weight loss aid designed to work on the root cause of excess and unexplained weight gain. The supplement uses an advanced blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support healthy weight loss by targeting the fat cells’ circadian rhythm

  3. I am a highly experienced SEO expert with over 12 years of experience in the digital marketing industry. I have a proven track record of helping businesses improve their search engine rankings and generate more traffic to their websites. I am an expert in all aspects of SEO, including keyword research, on-page optimization, off-page optimization, and technical SEO. I am also proficient in Google Analytics and other SEO tools. I am a results-oriented SEO professional who is passionate about helping businesses succeed. I am always up-to-date on the latest SEO trends and best practices.

  4. First of all I want to say terrific blog! I had a quick
    question in which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was
    curious to know how you center yourself and clear your mind before writing.
    I have had a tough time clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas
    out there. I do take pleasure in writing but it just seems
    like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints?
    Cheers!

    Feel free to surf to my page is the genius wave a scam

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

Related articles