Want to be a survivor? Just try being sociable

Having little social interaction can be as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic, academics at Brigham Young University in America concluded. The study, published in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal, revealed that being socially isolated can be more harmful than not exercising or twice as bad as the risks posed by obesity.

Researchers Julianne Holt-Lunstad and Timothy Smith analysed data from 148 previously published longitudinal studies measuring the frequency of human interaction and tracked health outcomes for a period of seven and a half years on average.

Since the information on relationship quality was unavailable, the 50 per cent increased odds of survival may underestimate the benefit of healthy relationships, they found.

Friends and family influence health for the better in many ways, from providing a calming touch to finding meaning in life.