Loneliness is now recognized as a serious public health problem.

To the World Health Organization, it is a "pressing health threat" that drives people to smoke up to 15 cigarettes a day, New York Post reported. One in four older people suffer social isolation, while 5 to 15 percent of adolescents experience loneliness, according to WHO.

The international body cited a new study by the University of Glasgow in Scotland. The research recently published in the journal BMC Medicine found that not socializing with friends or family may increase the risk of dying early by 39 percent. The finding is based on 33,000 deaths from 458,000 middle-aged participants that were tracked for 12 years.

WHO formed the Commission on Social Connection, a coalition of 11 leading health advocates and policymakers, to address the problem. The CSC's mission is to find solutions to build social connections at scale.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also deals with the issue by appointing renowned American sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 95, as the first loneliness ambassador of the state and the country.

"I am deeply honored and promised the governor that I will work day and night to help New Yorkers feel less lonely," said Westheimer, according to USA Today.

Hochul based her decision on the 2020 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine study, which found that one-quarter of adults 65 years and older are considered socially isolated, and one-third of adults 45 and older are experiencing loneliness, USA Today reported.

Meanwhile, the Swedish town of Lulea, home to some 80,000 inhabitants, has launched a campaign encouraging residents, who are reputed to be introverts, to start talking to each other, Agence France-Presse reported.

Lulea is located in a region where the sun shines only three hours during winter, and the average temperature in December hovers around minus 10 degrees Celsius, so there are few opportunities for residents to bump into one another daily.

The town posted on social media a promotional video showing locals with stern faces lighting up when they meet a passer-by who greets them.

The video is accompanied by a message: "Saying hi to your neighbors is a small thing, but research shows that it can contribute to social bonds and has a positive impact on health, safety and well-being."

Asa Koski, a social strategist with the municipality behind the campaign, hopes the video will strengthen social ties and prompt people to greet each other more.

WITH AFP @tribunephl_wjg