Overview

• A global study of over 64,000 individuals across 29 countries highlights the U.S. as an outlier, where middle-aged adults are lonelier than older generations.
• Loneliness generally follows a U-shaped pattern globally, peaking in youth and old age, but the U.S. and the Netherlands deviate from this trend.
• In the U.S., unemployment is the strongest predictor of loneliness for middle-aged adults, unlike in other countries where joblessness impacts older adults more significantly.
• Researchers found health and employment factors explain only 80% of midlife loneliness in the U.S., suggesting additional societal contributors like caregiving demands and weak social safety nets.
• Experts call for targeted interventions for middle-aged adults, an often-overlooked group, to address loneliness and its associated health risks.