News Psychology

Loneliness is higher among middle-aged Americans than older ones

That makes the United States a global outlier, a new study shows

A man sitting alone at a dining table in a dimly lit room, reading something, with a glass of red wine and a partially eaten meal in front of him.

Worldwide, loneliness tends to increase from midlife to later life. That trend is reversed in the United States. Researchers suspect a poor social safety net for caregivers might be partially to blame.

Steve Prezant/Tetra images/Getty Images Plus

By Sujata Gupta

Across the world, loneliness tends to increase after midlife.