- Scientists say people who participate in weekly group activities avoid death
- Even visiting friends once a month can reduce your risk of premature death
People should make an effort to visit friends and loved ones at least once a month to avoid feeling lonely and reduce the risk of premature death, a study suggests.
Researchers have found that people who never or rarely have the company of their loved ones are more likely to die prematurely.
And scientists warned that even those who live with someone else could be at risk if they don’t have frequent visitors.
Previous studies have linked loneliness to an increased risk of premature death, but experts wanted to explore how different social interactions could have an impact.
The team from the University of Glasgow analyzed five different types of social interaction, reported by more than 450,000 people.
Researchers found that people who took part in weekly group activities – such as a singing lesson, going to church or groups such as Men’s Sheds – were less likely to die during the study
The participants were on average 57 years old at the start of the study and were followed for approximately 12 years.
They reported how often they were visited by family or friends, whether or not they participated in weekly group activities, and whether or not they lived alone.
They were also asked whether they felt able to confide in a loved one, and whether they ‘often’ felt lonely.
During the follow-up period, 33,135 people died.
Analysis published in the journal BMC Medicine found that people who reported being visited by friends and family less than once a month were more likely to die in the next 12 years.
Those who were never visited by loved ones had a 39 percent higher risk of death compared to those who were visited daily.
The authors said that people who were visited at least once a month had a significantly lower risk of death, suggesting that this social interaction may have a protective effect.
But the reduced risk seemed to remain the same regardless of whether someone was visited daily, a few times a week, weekly or monthly.
Study co-author Jason Gill said: ‘The risk appears to be among people who are very isolated and never see friends and family or less often than once a month.
‘Making sure you visit your lonely and isolated relatives is really helpful because it seems important that people visit at least once a month.’
People who lived together also appeared to need monthly visits.
‘There was still a risk associated with infrequent visits to friends and family, even among those who did not live alone,’ said lead author Dr Hamish Foster.
The researchers also found that people who took part in weekly group activities – such as a singing lesson, going to church or groups such as Men’s Sheds – were less likely to die during the study.
Dr. Foster explained that the reason for their findings could be that people who are more socially isolated may engage in more unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking or drinking.
Meanwhile, friends and family can provide people with some level of support and help them access health care, which could contribute to the protective effect, he added.
Those who receive visits from loved ones more often may also benefit from “higher quality relationships” compared to those who visit less frequently.
The researchers said the findings could be used to help identify people who are at higher risk of death due to social factors.
Commenting on the research, Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: ‘This is very interesting new research which confirms how useful it is for us as we get older to have close friends and relatives who visit us and care about us.
‘An older person’s emerging health or other problems are more likely to be noticed in this situation and positive and timely action is more likely to be taken.
‘It’s very easy for all of us, at any age, to ignore a health problem and put off doing something about it, but having someone close by whom we can confide in can really make a difference .
‘If we have one or more of these types of relationships, it is also much more likely that we will be forced to seek the professional help we need.
‘For some older people, the offer to go to an appointment or at least help with transport can make the difference between actively pursuing a health problem or continuing to ignore it until they become seriously unwell.’