The World Health Organization declares loneliness a global health concern

The World Health Organization has established an international committee on the health effects of loneliness. The committee was chaired by Murthy and AU Youth Representative Chido Mbemba.

The committee will assume its duties at a time when the effects of loneliness on health are being intensively examined, after the Covid-19 pandemic restricted economic and social activities. The WHO’s “Social Communication Committee” will serve for three years.

“Loneliness transcends borders and has become a global health concern,” Mbemba said, adding that “social isolation has no age or limits.”

Murthy also stated that the health risks of loneliness could be considered equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and may be more serious than obesity.

In their analysis, academics from the University of Glasgow in Scotland found that the risk of death increases for those who do not see loved ones at least once a month and those who live alone.

Using data from a UK Biobank study, the academics followed 458,146 people with an average age of 57 years and five different types of social connections for an average of 12.6 years.

After years of study, researchers found that all types of social isolation increase the risk of premature death.

According to the research results, the probability of dying from heart disease increases by 48 percent for people whose family and friends do not visit them at all. It was noted that the probability of early death was 39 percent higher than those whose relatives visited them daily.