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Does loneliness age you?

Psychological factors such as being lonely or unhappy accelerated aging by 1.65 years, compared with what normal aging would look like for healthy individuals without any physical or mental health problems, according to study results published in study results published in the journal Aging (PDF).

everydayhealth.com - Loneliness and Unhappiness May Age You More Than Smoking

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Surrounding yourself with people who help you feel good about your life may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about ways to lengthen your lifespan. But a new study suggests focusing on happiness and social connections may be one great way to boost longevity. For the study, researchers examined data on almost 12,000 adults 45 and older who participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. All of the participants provided blood samples, detailed medical histories, and information on their social circumstances and mental health. Scientists then used all of this data to predict which factors might make the biggest difference on longevity using a so-called “aging clock,” a statistical model for assessing biological rather than chronological age. Psychological factors such as being lonely or unhappy accelerated aging by 1.65 years, compared with what normal aging would look like for healthy individuals without any physical or mental health problems, according to study results published in study results published in the journal Aging (PDF).

RELATED: All About Loneliness

“Mental and psychosocial states are some of the most robust predictors of health outcomes — and quality of life,” study coauthor Manuel Faria of Stanford University said in a statement. Aging was also accelerated in smokers and in people with a history of stroke, liver, and lung diseases. Current smoking, for example, accelerated aging by 1.25 years. Other factors that accelerated aging included living in a rural area and never marrying. This aging clock used to assess which factors might make the biggest impact on longevity wasn’t tested against real-life outcomes. The study didn’t follow people until they died to determine whether being lonely or unhappy might lead to a premature death. Several authors on the study have a conflict of interest — they received salaries from Deep Longevity, a company that’s developing aging clocks and is publicly traded in Hong Kong, while they were working on this research. However, many previous studies have also linked social isolation and loneliness to an increased risk of premature death. One study of about 17,000 adults in the United States found that social isolation is fairly common in middle age, impacting about 17 percent of women and 21 percent of men. For both sexes, being unmarried and participating infrequently in religious activities were among the main causes of social isolation. And it was associated with a 62 percent higher risk of premature death in women and a 75 percent greater chance of an earlier death for men. Another study of almost 120,000 middle-aged adults in 20 different countries found social isolation more common in females, elderly people, city dwellers, people with lower education levels, and unemployed individuals. Overall, social isolation was associated with a 26 percent higher risk of premature death, and the risk of this was most pronounced in people living in high-income countries. It’s possible that at least some of the connection between social isolation and longevity depends on the underlying causes. A study of more than 35,000 elderly adults found social isolation associated with a 22 percent higher risk of premature death, but also found that most of this was explained by advanced age and by underlying health issues that may have made it difficult for people to venture out.

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