Study Links Loneliness to Serious Health Risks, Declares It a Global Pandemic

Study Links Loneliness to Serious Health Risks, Declares It a Global Pandemic
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A groundbreaking study involving over 42,000 adults reveals that loneliness significantly alters biological processes linked to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and early death, Earth.com revealed. Researchers from the University of Cambridge analyzed thousands of blood proteins, uncovering that loneliness and social isolation affect immune and metabolic pathways.

Using Mendelian randomization, the team identified five key proteins—ADM, ASGR1, GFRA1, FABP4, and TNFRSF10A—whose levels are directly influenced by loneliness and correlate with increased disease risk. Notably, higher levels of adrenomedullin (ADM) were associated with greater cardiovascular risk and brain changes in areas governing emotion and internal body signals.

The World Health Organization now recognizes loneliness as a public health priority, urging systematic screening and community interventions. Experts emphasize treating loneliness like a modifiable risk factor, akin to blood pressure or cholesterol, to reduce the global burden of chronic diseases.