Loneliness is common and is a strong and independent predictor of depression and poor health outcomes, according to a new study published July 9, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Dr. Oluwasegun Akinyemi, a Senior Research Fellow at the Howard University College of Medicine, Washington DC, U.S.
Loneliness has emerged as a significant public health concern in the United States, with profound implications for mental and physical health. In the new study, researchers analyzed Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data collected via phone surveys between 2016 and 2023. The study population included 47,318 non-institutionalized adults living in the U.S., predominantly White (73.3%) and female (62.1%), and aged 18-64 years (72.1%).
More than 80% of participants reported some level of loneliness. Compared to those who reported "Never" being lonely, individuals who reported being "Always" lonely had a significantly higher predicted probability of depression (50.2% vs. 9.7%, p<0.001), had on average 10.9 more poor mental health days per month (20 vs. 9.4), and 5.0 more poor physical health days per month (all p<0.001). Women consistently experienced a higher likelihood of depression and more poor mental health days than men across loneliness levels, and Black individuals had lower probabilities of depression and fewer mental health days than White individuals across loneliness levels.
The study was limited by the reliance on self-reported measures as well as possible bias from unmeasured confounders such as personality traits or life events. However, the authors state that the findings of the study carry urgent policy and practice implications. They suggest that loneliness should be prioritized alongside traditional risk factors in public health planning and that routine loneliness screenings in clinical settings could help identify high-risk individuals for interventions such as social initiatives.
The authors add: "Our study highlights that loneliness is not just an emotional state—it has measurable consequences for both mental and physical health. Addressing loneliness may be a critical public health priority to reduce depression and improve overall well-being."
"Conducting this research allowed us to explore the lived experiences of many individuals in vulnerable situations. What stood out most was how strongly loneliness affected every aspect of health—underscoring the urgency of tackling this hidden epidemic."
In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS One: http://plos.io/4l2J8Gh
Citation: Akinyemi O, Abdulrazaq W, Fasokun M, Ogunyankin F, Ikugbayigbe S, Nwosu U, et al. (2025) The impact of loneliness on depression, mental health, and physical well-being. PLoS One 20(7): e0319311. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319311
Author countries: U.S.
Funding: This project was supported (in part) by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 2U54MD007597. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
