Can friends make us live longer?
Social relationships promote physical activity and mobility and, as a result, delay the progression of disability.
The beneficial effects of social relationships on longevity are of the same magnitude as the effects resulting from not smoking.
Older people who keep in touch with friends, neighbours and family members have a better cognitive capacity than those who have weak social connections.
Social relationships and longevity.
Rate of social involvement:
Cumulative likelihood of survival of people based on the number of social activities they participate in.
Different social activities in which an individual participates
Source: Rodríguez-Laso et al. BMC Geriatrics, 2007.