A recent study from Colorado State University has found that social isolation is the biggest risk factor for depression in middle-aged and older adults. The research highlights the serious impact of loneliness, especially as the global population of older adults continues to grow.
Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and middle-aged and older adults are especially vulnerable. Scientists have long tried to understand why this age group is more affected. In this study, researchers used machine learning to analyze data from a large group of adults across Europe. They looked at 56 different factors that could contribute to depression.
The results showed that, for both men and women, social isolation was the most important risk factor. Poor overall health and difficulty moving around were the next biggest risks. These findings support previous studies that have also linked loneliness to depression in older adults.
However, this study went further by analyzing 30 different aspects of social life, such as family relationships and support networks.
The researchers also found some key differences between men and women. For men, a major additional risk factor was struggling with everyday tasks, such as managing money, taking medications, or making phone calls.
For women, feeling burdened by family responsibilities increased their risk of depression. Women who strongly felt that family duties interfered with their personal lives were more likely to experience depressive symptoms.
Despite these gender-specific factors, the main risks remained the same for both groups—social isolation, poor health, and mobility problems. Interestingly, the study also confirmed that older women are about twice as likely to suffer from depression as older men, but it did not fully explain why this is the case.
The findings add to growing evidence that social connections play a crucial role in mental health. As people age, maintaining strong relationships and staying socially active could help prevent depression. This research also suggests that policies and healthcare approaches should focus more on reducing isolation in older adults.
The study was conducted by Stephen Aichele and his team and was published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe.
If you care about depression, please read studies that vegetarian diet may increase your depression risk, and Vitamin D could help reduce depression symptoms.
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