(NEXSTAR) — Aging is inevitable, but you might be able to slow down the process with some healthy lifestyle changes.
That’s according to a new study presented Monday at the American Heart Society’s Scientific Sessions 2023 in Philadelphia. Scientists pointed to eight healthy habits that can reduce your biological age and help you live longer.
While everyone knows their chronological age (the number of years you’ve been alive), biological age refers to how old your cells are and the speed at which you’re aging physically.
For the study, researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York City calculated the phenotypic, or biological, age of 6,500 adults.
The analysis found that good cardiovascular health can slow the pace of biological aging by up to six years and reduce the risk of developing age-related diseases.
For example, the average actual age of participants with high cardiovascular health was 41 — but their biological age was 36. On the other hand, the average actual age of those with low cardiovascular health was 53, though their biological age was 57.
The researchers used the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 checklist, listed below, to analyze the link between heart and brain health for the study. These habits not only help with aging but can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and other health problems, the AHA said.
“Greater adherence to all Life’s Essential 8 metrics and improving your cardiovascular health can slow down your body’s aging process and have a lot of benefits down the line,” the study’s senior author Nour Makareman, assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University, said in a statement.
“Reduced biologic aging is not just associated with lower risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, it is also associated with longer life and lower risk of death,” Makarem added.
Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
2023-11-12T18:40:45Z dg43tfdfdgfd