Improvement of Social Isolation and Loneliness and Excess Mortality Risk in People With Obesity
Authors' conclusion
In this cohort study of UK Biobank participants, a lower index of social isolation or loneliness was associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality among people with obesity, and improvement of social isolation and loneliness attenuated obesity-related excess risk of all-cause mortality.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals without cancer or CVD at baseline, UK Biobank, follow-up March 2006 to November 2021; mean (SD) age 55.85 (8.08) years, 55.26% women; 23.40% with obesity93,357 with obesity
- Participants
- 398,972 individuals
- Exposure
- Lower vs higher social isolation and loneliness index among people with obesity
- Outcome
- All-cause, cancer-related and CVD-related mortality
- Follow-up
- Median (IQR) 12.73 (12.01-13.43) years
Methodological detailsUK Biobank
- UK Biobank
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
All-cause mortality in people with obesity
Estimate (95% CI)P value
Obesity, social isolation index 1vs Obesity, social isolation index ≥2
multivariable adjusted HR 0.85(0.79–0.91)
P < 0.001for trendObesity, social isolation index 0vs Obesity, social isolation index ≥2
multivariable adjusted HR 0.74(0.69–0.80)
P < 0.001for trendObesity, loneliness index 1vs Obesity, loneliness index 2
HR 0.97(0.89–1.06)
P < 0.001for trendObesity, loneliness index 0vs Obesity, loneliness index 2
HR 0.86(0.79–0.94)
P < 0.001for trend- Incident deaths during follow-up
- 22 872
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Obesity-related excess all-cause mortality (obesity vs no obesity) as index went from highest to lowest
- Decrease in HR, social isolation
- 36%
- Decrease in HR, loneliness
- 9%
- Multivariable model
Ranking of risk factors for all-cause, cancer-related and CVD-related mortality
- Social isolation ranked higher than loneliness, depression, anxiety, and lifestyle-related risk factors (alcohol, physical activity, healthy diet)
Original publication
Improvement of Social Isolation and Loneliness and Excess Mortality Risk in People With Obesity. JAMA Netw Open. Published 2 January 2024. doi:10.
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