WHO reports loneliness affects one in six people worldwide

The World Health Organization’s 2025 commission on social connections estimated that roughly one in six people globally experience chronic loneliness. The analysis linked the condition to about 871,000 deaths each year – roughly 100 deaths per hour – and compared its health impact to well‑known risks such as smoking and obesity.

Research highlighted that loneliness is especially prevalent among adults over 50, as life changes like children moving out, retirement and shifting relationships can erode close ties. A 2020 study found many older adults report feeling isolated even when surrounded by acquaintances, noting signs such as having many contacts but few true friends.

Health authorities are treating loneliness as a public‑health challenge, urging better understanding of its physical and mental effects and seeking policies to strengthen genuine social connections.