Loneliness and isolation can have a significant effect on the risk of heart disease, according to research published today.
Dr Nicole Valtorta and her team at York University, UK, examined 23 research papers in this area. These covered 16 datasets covering a total of 4,628 coronary heart disease cases and 3,002 stroke cases.
Analysis suggested that poor social relationships were associated with a 29% increase in risk of coronary heart disease and a 32% increase in risk of stroke. This raised risk did not appear to vary by sex.
"Future studies are needed to investigate whether interventions targeting loneliness and social isolation can help to prevent two of the leading causes of death and disability in high-income countries," report the authors today (20 April) in the BMJ.
Dr Valtorta says: "We take risk factors like obesity and physical inactivity for granted whereas we don’t yet with social isolation and loneliness. The data supports us taking it seriously."
Responding to the report, the Local government Association’s Community Wellbeing spokeswoman, Councillor Izzi Seccombe, said: "With more than one million people aged over 65 believed to be suffering from loneliness, councils with their responsibility for public health see this as a major concern.
"Councils are addressing this through early intervention, with a number of local authorities leading the way in partnership with volunteer and community organisations."
Valtorta, N. K. et al. Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies. BMJ 20 April 2016 doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308790 [abstract]
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