Loneliness presents health dangers as deadly as chronic smoking, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned Tuesday.

Calling it an " epidemic of loneliness and isolation ," Murthy's office released a health advisory about the human need for social connection and community.

Social connection is an instinctual requirement for humans, Murthy told the Associated Press, noting, "It’s like hunger or thirst. It’s a feeling the body sends us when something we need for survival is missing."

The report notes recent surveys showing about half of American adults experience loneliness, a trend more prominent in young adults, which can increase the risk of premature death by 26%.

For those ages 15 to 24, the amount of time spent with friends in person has declined by 70% in the last 20 years, a trend exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, almost half reported having three or fewer close friends, which is up significantly from 1990 when only 27% reported the same. Nearly 90% who do not experience feeling lonely or isolated report having three or more close friends.