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More and more young Americans Not in a romantic relationship – researchers are now warning this reality could be harmful to their health.
quantity Generation Z According to a 2023 survey, people born between 1997 and 2012 were 20% less likely than Generation Xers and 22% less likely than Baby Boomers to report having been in a relationship as teenagers Center for American Life polland a 2025 study American Institute for Boys and Men It was found that last year more than 40% of Gen Z men reported having no romantic experience as teenagers.
In fact, recently across the country opinion poll 20,000 people think Gen Z is the “loneliest generation” Even beyond Millennials.
Now, a new analysis of more than 17,000 teenagers and young adults in Germany and the UK shows that anyone who remains single for a long time will experience increasing levels of being single. feeling of loneliness and greater declines in life satisfaction.
The happiness deficit also increases in people’s twenties, a period in which symptoms of depression Researchers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland said in a report release.
“Overall, our findings suggest that remaining single for long periods of time in early adulthood is associated with moderate risks to health,” explains senior researcher Michael Kramer.
education issues
The researchers looked at the responses of people aged 16 to 29.
The survey showed that men, those with higher levels of education, those with lower current happiness and those who live alone or with parents are more likely to remain single for longer.
“Our findings suggest that sociodemographic factors such as education and psychological characteristics such as current happiness help predict who will enter a romantic relationship and who will not,” Kramer said.
He noted that these results support previous research on the link between focusing on education and delaying commitment.
meet cute
Researchers also found the importance of first relationships for young people.
Respondents who were in a partnership for the first time reported greater life satisfaction and less loneliness.
This is true both in the short and long term. But the longer people wait to get into their first relationship, the longer they stay single.
“This suggests that entering a first relationship may become more difficult when people are in their 20s, especially since lower happiness also increases the likelihood of remaining single for longer,” Cramer said.
problem of loneliness
The negative health effects of loneliness have been widely studied, and there is no lack of concern.
For one, loneliness increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, putting people at risk for blood vessel, immune system and heart problems. cleveland clinic.
Other health risks associated with loneliness include high blood pressure, dementia, diabetes, stroke, suicide and premature death.
“We know the effects of stress on the body, and loneliness can be extremely stressful,” psychologist Dr. Adam Boland told the clinic. “If we feel lonely, we don’t necessarily take care of ourselves the way we should. This can lead to health problems.”