Bachelors who live alone and experience multiple breakups are at increased risk of cancer and death, research suggests

• University of Copenhagen researchers analyzed health data from thousands of men and women in Denmark.
• They found men who went through more breakups and lived alone for years were more likely to have higher inflammation levels in their bodies. There was no difference for women.

For men, experiencing multiple breakups and living alone for more than a year could increase their risk of death, according to new research.

For the study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark analyzed health markers of 1,442 Danish women and 3,170 men whose ages ranged from 48 to 62.

The researchers looked at how many relationship breakups each participant experienced in their lifetime and how many years they each lived alone. People in the study who reported living alone for less than one year were put into the study's control group. They also looked at participants' education levels, histories of chronic disease, their BMIs, and family histories.

When the researchers controlled for these other factors, they found men who experienced more overall relationship breakups had, on average, 17% higher inflammation levels in blood tests than the control group. Men who lived alone for seven or more years total had 12% higher inflammation levels, which can increase risk of early death.

Women in the study who experienced more breakups or time living alone didn't have higher inflammation levels though.

Until now, research on relationships and health has focused on divorced people, lead study author Karolina K. Davidsen told Insider. Now, as an increasing number of health experts show concern over widespread loneliness, Davidsen said her team's research aims to study never-been-married folks who could be at risk for negative health outcomes too.

Inflammation can contribute to a higher risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes later in life.

There were limitations to the study. Since more men participated in the study than women, it's possible those differences influenced the lack of inflammation the researchers saw in women, Davidsen said. She added that the average participant was 54.5 years old, which can be too young to show signs of chronic inflammation.

According to the researchers, the differences in inflammation levels between sexes could potentially be related to typical behavior. In the study, they wrote that men tend to "display more externalizing behavior," like drinking alcohol, after a breakup, which could contribute to higher levels of inflammation.

To feel less lonely, experts suggest disengaging from social media, exercising, spending time in nature, and volunteering, Insider previously reported. If those feelings persist, or you feel depressed, speak with a healthcare provider, experts say.