London - Having good friends is as important for a healthy life as exercising and eating well, a study has found.
The research showed that whether young or old, being sociable helps keep illness at bay.
US scientists said teenagers should be encouraged to make friends to keep them healthy for years to come.
The University of North Carolina team combined the results of four large studies and found that having good social networks when younger cut the odds of developing high blood pressure and obesity.
They didn’t tease out why friendship is so good for health, but possibilities include loneliness affecting everything from sleep to the immune system.
Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, they said: “It should be as important to encourage adolescents and young adults to build broad social relationships and social skills for interacting with others as it is to eat healthy and be physically active.”
Daily Mail