Loneliness twice as unhealthy as obesity for older people, study finds

[Aidan_088]

[quote]
Loneliness can be twice as unhealthy as obesity, according to researchers who found that feelings of isolation can have a devastating impact on older people.

The scientists tracked more than 2,000 people aged 50 and over and found that the loneliest were nearly twice as likely to die during the six-year study than the least lonely.

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%.

The findings point to a coming crisis as the population ages and people increasingly live alone or far from their families. A study of loneliness in older Britons in 2012 found that more than a fifth felt lonely all the time, and a quarter became more lonely over five years. Half of those who took part in the survey said their loneliness was worse at weekends, and three-quarters suffered more at night.

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.
[/quote]

[url]http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/feb/16/loneliness-twice-as-unhealthy-as-obesity-older-people[/url]

[Sableye]

ya it causes them to go crazy

[Canuhearme?]

Well yeah, Humans are social creatures. Eliminate your will to go on and throw in an already expiring body and you've got people just... Giving up.

[Col. Buggernuts]

As if being lonely wasn't bad enough, i'm barraged with studies saying i'll die sooner as well :/

[Lurk]

If I'm fat and lonely will they cancel each other out?

[Zeke129]

[QUOTE=Lurk;43938855]If I'm fat and lonely will they cancel each other out?[/QUOTE]

it will actually make you immortal

[Provost]

[QUOTE=Zeke129;43939317]it will actually make you immortal[/QUOTE]

It'll still suck though.

[Reds]

[QUOTE=Lurk;43938855]If I'm fat and lonely will they cancel each other out?[/QUOTE]

[img]http://www.brandonmorrison.com/sites/default/files/3_stooges_syndrome.jpg[/img]

[Justjake274]

Never fear, lonely-hearted peoples! You will die sooner! Yay scientific discoveries!

:D

[SFC003]

[QUOTE=Justjake274;43940148]Never fear, lonely-hearted peoples! You will die sooner! Yay scientific discoveries!

:D[/QUOTE]
ok then

[Bug-a-boo]

Rip in peace Me
1991- When fucking ever.

[darkedone02]

Yay! i'm already unhealthy cause I've been alone in the world for... 16 years? I don't keep count...

[urbanmonkey]

damn, lighten up guys, there's more self-loathing in here than a teenage girl in her emo phase

[sltungle]

[QUOTE=Reds;43939907][img]http://www.brandonmorrison.com/sites/default/files/3_stooges_syndrome.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]

It makes me happy to know that from the number of funnies this has accumulated already that everybody knows exactly what this is.

"Hysterical pregnancy?"
"Uh, a little bit, yes!"