Middle-aged Americans are lonelier than their European peers and could explain why Americans tend to die younger, according to a new report.
Researchers examined data from 53,000 adults in the United States and 13 European countries, focusing on responses from individuals aged 40 to 65.
They found that middle-aged Americans scored consistently higher on a measure used to compare levels of loneliness in the United States with those in other countries, according to results published by the American Psychological Association.
The report’s authors highlighted three main cultural norms that may be driving a loneliness epidemic in the United States: an emphasis on individualism, weaker family ties, and widespread use of social media.
The chart above shows that several generations of adults born after 1946, particularly the later baby boomers, were consistently lonelier than the Silent Generation when they reached middle age. Each group has a long, thin line showing the overall trend over the years, and short, thick lines show how loneliness changes each year within that age group.
Loneliness has been linked to a range of mental and physical health effects, including sleep disturbances and metabolic conditions that affect a person’s weight.
Dr. Frank Infurna, a psychologist at Arizona State University and lead author of the study, said: “Loneliness is attracting increasing attention globally as a public health problem. , as high loneliness increases the risk of depression, compromised immunity, chronic diseases and mortality.
“Our research shows that people feel lonelier in some countries than others in middle age.” It also sheds light on why this can happen and how governments can address it with better policies.
Persistent feelings of loneliness have been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, various forms of dementia, and dementia. dead.
Solitary lines have been shown to increase stress and therefore levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can contribute to heart disease and its risk factors, including high blood pressure. Loneliness can also lead to unhealthy behaviors such as overeating and leading a sedentary lifestyle, contributing to obesity rates.
In addition to contributing to feelings of depression and anxiety, loneliness and being alone can weaken a person’s immune system and eventually lead to cognitive decline and various forms of dementia.
A US government report from last year revealed some of the physical effects of loneliness included a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease; a 32 percent increased risk of stroke; and a 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia in older people.
Life expectancy in the United States is lower than that of several other countries. In 2022, the CDC estimated that life expectancy at birth in the United States increased to 77.5 years, up 1.1 years from 76.4 years in 2021, but still a decline 1.3 years compared to 78.8 years in 2019, before the Covid pandemic.
Life expectancy in the United States is now lower than that of comparable countries with similar GDPs. Life expectancy in Germany is 80.7 years, in Canada it is 81.3 years, in France it is 82.3 years and in Japan it is 84.1 years.
American and German researchers looked at a series of studies that collect data over a long period of time.
They looked at data from 2002 to 2020 from the United States and 13 European countries on three different generations: the Silent Generation (born between 1928 and 1946), Baby Boomers (born from 1946 to 1964), and Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980). .
Dr. Frank Infurna, a psychologist at Arizona State University and lead author of the study, said: “We focused on middle-aged adults because they are the backbone of society and the evidence Empirical evidence demonstrates that midlife health in the United States lags behind industrialized countries.
“Middle-aged adults bear much of society’s burden by making up the majority of the workforce, while simultaneously meeting the needs of younger and older generations in the family.”
They focused specifically on baby boomers, dividing the group in their analyzes between early boomers – those born from 1946 to 1954 – and late baby boomers from 1955 to 1964.
On average, early middle-aged baby boomers in the United States felt lonelier than their European peers. The same is true for middle-aged baby boomers in the United States, who report feeling lonelier than their peers in England, continental Europe, Mediterranean Europe and Nordic Europe.
In Generation X, middle-aged adults from the United States felt lonelier than people of the same age group in Europe, although the difference in loneliness levels between the United States and England did was not large enough to be considered statistically significant.
Dr Infurna said: “The observed cross-national differences in mid-life loneliness should prompt researchers and policymakers to better understand the potential root causes that may promote loneliness and the policy levers that may modify or reverse these trends. . »
The last baby boomers born between 1955 and 1964 were lonelier than those in other countries
Early baby boomers in the United States were also lonelier than their peers in Europe and England.
Generation X observed a similar trend, showing higher loneliness scores in the United States than in other countries.
Researchers said America’s deeply ingrained values of individualism could be to blame. In the United States, a long-standing philosophy prioritizes individualism, individual achievement, and growth to achieve personal goals and the elusive “American Dream.”
As a result, social support groups and connections with others may be neglected. Job insecurity and income inequality, as well as a lack of childcare and access to healthcare, are thought to exacerbate loneliness.
The researchers said: “Social and economic inequalities likely have powerful effects on midlife loneliness by undermining a person’s ability to meet basic needs, limiting opportunities for upward economic mobility, and limiting the ability of people to lead a life that we have reason to value.
And loneliness rates in the United States are increasing.
A 22 study from Cigna, one of the largest U.S. health insurers, surveyed approximately 10,000 Americans about their current feelings as of December 2021.
More than half, or 58 percent, reported feeling lonely. This almost matches the pre-pandemic – 2019 – total of 61% of adults feeling lonely.
Social media doesn’t seem to help. Scrolling and seeing others having fun or participating in interesting activities can make loneliness even worse.
At the same time, the number of Americans living alone reached a new record high at 37.9 million, an increase of 4.8 million, or 15 percent, from 2012.
The latest research was published in the journal American psychologist.