Loneliness Poses Significant Health Risks, Comparable to Smoking, U.S. Health Authorities Highlight
Longevity expert Carmen Lanchares, author of 'Time on Our Side,' has warned that social isolation carries severe physical consequences, equating unwanted loneliness to biological risk factors as deadly as smoking or a sedentary lifestyle. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes loneliness as a global public health issue due to its impact on physical and emotional well-being, leading to increased cardiovascular risks, cognitive decline, and depression. U.S. health authorities have also emphasized this concern; in 2023, then-U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory detailing loneliness and social isolation as a serious public health problem. This advisory cited evidence linking poor social connection to a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke, noting that the mortality impact of insufficient social connection is comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness even befor...
