Friends are good for Health

Good for health

Having friends increases life expectancy by 50%

BBC

A study at Brigham Young University, USA, says that having a good network of friends and neighbors can increase the chances of survival for a person by 50%.Published in the journal PLoS Medicine, the research analyzed about 150 studies on the subject and suggests that having few friends can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day or an alcoholic.

There are many ways in which friends, colleagues and family can increase the health and wellbeing of a person. According to American scientists, taking account of others leads us to take better care of ourselves. "When the individual is connected to a group and feel responsible for others, it starts to be more careful and take fewer risks," says Julianne Holt-Lunstad, coordinator of the study.

The researchers also concluded that the loss of social support can further reduce the chances of survival for a person than obesity or a sedentary lifestyle. The study looked for seven years, 300 000 volunteers on four continents and found that those with stronger social networks did better on tests of health and life expectancy. Just to give you an idea, the likelihood of these people were living was almost two times higher than those considered loners.

The study encompassed people of all ages, regardless of initial health status of respondents. "The effect is not isolated to older adults. Relationships provide a level of protection to all ages, "said Timothy Smith, another researcher on the study.

Smith, however, warns that modern gadgets and technology can lead some people to think that social networks face to face are no longer needed. "As humans, we face relationships for granted, we are like fish do not notice the water. The constant interaction is not just a psychological benefit, but directly affects our physical health," he added.