Loneliness increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke by almost a third, according to research.

研究顯示，孤獨會使人患上心臟病或中風的幾率提高近1/3。

The effect of social isolation is similar to that of anxiety or work-related stress.

社交孤立的影響類似于焦慮癥或工作壓力。

Campaigners recently called for urgent action to tackle the 'silent epidemic' of loneliness among the elderly. More than half of over-75s live alone – and about 1 million Britons are thought to suffer loneliness.

最近，英國一些活動人士呼吁盡快行動起來，應對老年人中的“無聲流行病”---孤獨寂寞。英國75歲以上的老人中，超過一半獨居。據稱大約100萬英國人感到孤獨。

'Loneliness is becoming a silent epidemic in our society. It's the responsibility of our community as a whole to tackle it.'

一位活動人士說，“孤獨寂寞已經成為英國的無聲流行病，全社會都應為此承擔起責任。”