Positive impact of social interaction on health

Many studies have been undertaken to measure the correlation between social interaction and health.

One study, known as a meta study because it looked at an aggregation of 148 different studies, highlighted that social relationships are associated with a reduced risk of mortality. The aggregation covered over 300,000 people who were studied for an average of 7.5 years and found that those with strong social ties had a 50% increased likelihood of survival compared to those with weaker social ties. 

The benefits of social interaction have also been found to extend to several aspects of health. Reduced stress, a boosted immune system, improved mental health, even the encouragement of other healthy behaviours such as exercise and healthy eating habits have all been linked to enhanced social interaction.

What’s not to like? In an era where media discourse tends to focus on what the government needs to do to keep us healthy, are we missing a trick?

You can read the study here:-

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2910600