Loneliness isn't just bad for mental health...
it increases the risk of one of the world's biggest killers by a shocking 56 per cent READ MORE: Common heart problem doubles the chance of suffering stroke By Kate Pickles Health Editor For The Daily Mail Published: 00:30 BST, 25 June 2024 | Updated: 00:30 BST, 25 June 2024 e-mail View comments Long term loneliness can increase the risk of having a stroke by more than half, research suggests. Middle-aged people who reported feelings of isolation were significantly more likely to have a stroke over the next decade. Those who experienced loneliness for several years were at greatest risk, according to the study by Harvard University.
Experts said it shows the public health threat of chronic loneliness and suggested screening people could help identify those in danger. In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared loneliness to be a significant global health threat, linking its mortality effects as equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Middle-aged people who reported feelings of isolation were significantly more likely to have a stroke over the next decade While previous work has linked loneliness to higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, researchers said this is one of the first to examine links specific to stroke over time.
They created a loneliness score using data from questionnaires involving more than 12,000 Americans, aged 50 and above, between 2006 and 2008. Four years later, the same questions were asked agai.