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“How lonely do you feel?” This is the question that was asked in a new Meta-Gallup survey of people around the world. It polled about a thousand adults per country in 142 countries and almost a quarter (24%) say they’re very or fairly lonely.
The survey finds the rates of loneliness vary among age groups:
- They were highest in young adults, with 27% of those between the ages of 19 and 29 reporting feeling very or fairly lonely.
- The lowest rates were in older adults, as just 17 of those age 65 and older say they’re lonely.
- More than half of adults ages 45 and older report not feeling lonely at all, while the majority of those under age 45 say they’re at least a little lonely, if not fairly or very lonely.
- In 79 of the 142 countries, women reported higher rates of loneliness than men.
“There is a lot of research pointing to the dangers of loneliness and social isolation among older adults,” says Ellyn Maese, a senior research consultant with Gallup. This survey “is a really good reminder that loneliness is not just a problem of aging — it’s a problem that can affect everyone at any age.”
Find the article at CNN