Loneliness Worse for Health Than Smoking, Obesity, Alcoholism

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Often overlooked as a serious health threat, the so-called loneliness epidemic is proving to be a profoundly damaging risk factor for health.

Study Reveals Alarming Rates of Loneliness Among Seniors

In a press release detailing new research, the Regenstrief Institute, in collaboration with the Indiana University School of Medicine, reports that the majority of adults aged 65 and older experience loneliness. This condition may pose greater health risks than alcoholism, obesity, smoking at least 15 cigarettes daily, or maintaining a sedentary lifestyle.

Published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, the study examines loneliness as a “biophysical stressor” that significantly diminishes quality of life for older adults. The findings underscore the need for healthcare providers to recognize and address this often-neglected factor.

Key Findings: Over Half of Seniors Affected

The results are striking: nearly 53 percent of seniors identified in the database experienced loneliness. Those affected showed markedly poorer mental and physical health outcomes, regardless of demographics or existing medical conditions.

Previous studies have already linked loneliness to higher mortality risks than the lifestyle factors mentioned above. The issue is often compounded when isolation leads to overindulgence in food or alcohol, reduced motivation or capacity for exercise, or co-occurs with depression and anxiety.

Why Screening for Loneliness Matters

“Based on the literature and research, loneliness has influences on health that are quite significant and quite strong,” said IU research scientist and professor Monica Williams-Farrelly in the Regenstrief press release. “So in the same way that we ask older adults: ‘Do you smoke? Or do you measure your blood sugar?’ We should be inquiring about and measuring loneliness and offering solutions.”

Research Context and the Impact of the Pandemic

Researchers drew their data from the Caregiver Outcomes of Alzheimer’s Disease Screening study, an ongoing survey evaluating dementia screening practices among clinicians. Although the dataset covers the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the team noted that loneliness had already been rising well before the coronavirus outbreak and associated isolation measures.

“Loneliness may seem simple, but it can be complex to identify and address,” Williams-Farrelly explained. “It started to become a problem before COVID-19, and then with the national stay-at-home order caused by the pandemic, social contact was being prevented, which exacerbated the problem.”

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Addressing the Epidemic

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office issued an advisory highlighting the severity of the loneliness epidemic. The IU and Regenstrief researchers recommend treating feelings of isolation as critical health factors before irreversible damage occurs.

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Also read: Is playing in the dirt good for kids’ immune systems?

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