Lifestyle and surroundings may speed up biological ageing
Biological ageing may begin accelerating as early as young adulthood, with environmental conditions and lifestyle factors playing a significant role, according to new research from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, Qazinform News Agency cites WAM.
The study, published in Environment International, found that lifestyle and environmental exposures experienced during childhood and adolescence accounted for approximately 28 percent of the variation in biological age among participants at age 22.
Researchers noted that biological ageing, which can progress at a different pace than chronological ageing, is influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. Faster biological ageing has been associated with an increased risk of developing age-related diseases earlier in life.
The findings are based on a longitudinal twin study in which scientists examined the exposome, the cumulative impact of environmental and lifestyle exposures throughout life, and its relationship to biological ageing in young adults. Machine learning models were used to analyze the data.
The study assessed 186 different exposures, including lifestyle habits, levels of surrounding greenery, air pollution and socioeconomic characteristics of participants' residential areas.
To note, recent Australian research has revealed that changes in lifestyle, combined with medical prevention of chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, can significantly reduce cases of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
