Older adults with fewer social connections show signs of faster biological ageing

Older people who live alone or have weaker social ties may be ageing faster at a biological level, according to new research using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

The study, led by researchers at University College London, and published in Nature Communications, finds that key aspects of social life such as living arrangements, social integration and support are linked to accelerated physiological ageing. However, these same individuals often report feeling younger than their actual age, highlighting a clear gap between perception and underlying health.

Drawing on data from more than 7,000 adults aged 50 and over, the researchers examined how different dimensions of social connection relate to both subjective age and physiological age. Physiological age was measured using a composite index based on cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic and musculoskeletal indicators.

The analysis shows that, compared with those living with others, people living alone had a physiological age that was on average around 2.6 years further ahead of their chronological age, suggesting accelerated ageing. Low social integration and low social support were also associated with faster physiological ageing, with these patterns still evident four years later.

In contrast, there was no consistent evidence that weaker social connections were linked to feeling older. Most participants reported feeling younger than their chronological age, regardless of their level of social connection. In some cases, people living alone even reported feeling younger than those living with others.

The findings suggest that the health risks linked to weaker social connections may operate through biological processes that are not captured by how people perceive their own ageing. While subjective age has been linked to health outcomes in previous research, this study finds little evidence that it is related to social relationships.

The study adds to a growing body of evidence that social relationships are closely tied to health in later life, including risks of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and mortality. The authors highlight potential biological pathways, including inflammation, immune responses and stress-related processes, through which social connections may influence ageing.

Structural aspects of social connection, such as whether someone lives alone or participates in community activities, showed the strongest associations with physiological ageing. Functional aspects, particularly levels of social support, were also important. Other factors, such as loneliness and social strain, showed weaker or less consistent relationships.

The researchers suggest that accelerated physiological ageing may help explain how weaker social connections contribute to poorer health outcomes in later life. They note that the relationship is likely to work in both directions, with declining health also limiting people’s ability to maintain social ties.

The findings have implications for policy and practice as populations age. Interventions that strengthen social integration and support may help reduce risks linked to biological ageing, even where individuals feel well and report a younger subjective age.

Fancourt, D., Steptoe, A. and Bloomberg, M. (2026) ‘Social connections are differentially related to subjective age and physiological age acceleration amongst older adults’, Nature Communications, 17, p. 2173 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68977-1 

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