Lifestyle-related factors in loneliness and social isolation of older persons

Loneliness and social isolation are increasingly common in old age and have been related to lifestyle behaviors. However, the specific roles of modifiable lifestyles in objective and subjective social isolation are unclear. This chapter examines the effects of lifestyle-related factors on loneliness and social isolation in old age based on evidence from a Ghanaian study. We applied adjusted Ordinary Least Squares models, drawing on data from the Aging, Health, Psychological Well-being, and Health-seeking Behavior study (AgeHeaPsyWel–HeaSeeB). The analytic sample included 1201 adults aged ≥50 years living in the community. The three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale assessed loneliness, the adapted Social Network Index assessed social isolation, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) measured physical activity (PA). Regression modeling showed that PA was statistically significantly associated with decreasing levels of loneliness (b = −.048, 95% CI = −.114−.017) and social isolation (b = −.077, 95% CI = −.197 to −.043). Smokers were more likely to be lonely than non-smokers (b =.218, 95% CI =.062−.375). Alcohol intake was associated with increased social isolation (b =.414, 95% CI =.218−.610). Gender significantly moderated the drinking behavior–social isolation association (b =.549, 95% CI =.159−.939). These findings highlight the importance of considering lifestyle in tackling subjective and objective social isolation and the role of gender in old age. Loneliness and social isolation are increasingly common in old age and have been related to lifestyle behaviors. This chapter examines the effects of lifestyle-related factors on loneliness and social isolation in old age based on evidence from a Ghanaian study. It discusses the effects of lifestyle on subjective and objective deficiencies in social relationships in a representative sample of older adults in Ghana. Data came from the Aging, Health, Psychological Well-being, and Health-seeking Behavior study, which examines the health and health-seeking-behavior dynamics of community-dwelling adults =50 years. Social isolation was measured using an adapted comprehensive Social Network Index. Descriptive statistics were computed for the variables using counts and proportions for the categorical variables and means and standard deviations for the continuous variables. There are multiple potential theoretical mechanisms through which lifestyle-related factors could be linked with increased levels of loneliness and social isolation in this sample.