Living with a partner roughly as beneficial as exercise

Social connections were a surprisingly powerful predictor of a long life.

Loneliness is a known risk factor for an early death—people who are socially isolated tend to have greater levels of cellular inflammation and poorer immune responses.

It is not clear, however, whether this is a direct effect of being alone, or because lonely people tend to be less active and eat poorer diets.

The Economist 19 February 2025

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2025/02/19/do-lonely-people-have-shorter-lives