Meta-analysis2010 · PLoS Medicine · Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Layton JB
Social relationships and mortality: meta-analysis of 148 studies
Who, how long
308,849 people, average 7.5 years of follow-up
What they found
People with strong social relationships had 50% higher odds of survival — an effect comparable to quitting smoking and larger than obesity.
⚠ Caveat
Observational; sick people may withdraw socially (reverse causation), though the authors controlled for it.
Related in the knowledge base
Last reviewed: 6 September 2026
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