Researchers have identified eight health metrics that can potentially delay the aging process by up to six years.

According to experts in the US, practicing healthy habits such as maintaining proper body weight, managing blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, following a balanced sleep and diet routine, engaging in regular physical activity, and abstaining from smoking can potentially delay the aging process by approximately six years.

Research indicates that adhering to these guidelines can improve cardiovascular health and potentially delay the process of biological aging by as much as six years.

The results, gathered from a sample of over 6,500 individuals with an average age of 47, will be shared at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions conference in Philadelphia.

Scientists reported that individuals with optimal heart health were biologically six years younger than their chronological age, meaning they aged slower than the typical rate of one year per year.

According to Donald Lloyd-Jones, the head of the writing team for Life’s Essential 8, the American Heart Association’s health assessment tool, these results aid in our comprehension of the connection between chronological age and biological age. They also highlight the impact of adopting healthy lifestyle practices on extending our lifespan.

According to Lloyd-Jones, a former volunteer president of the AHA, the main desire is to have a longer and healthier life in order to fully experience and have a high quality of life for as many years as possible.

The goal of Life’s Essential 8 is to determine heart health by considering four lifestyle factors and four health indicators that can be changed.

The scientists assessed an individual’s biological age by examining their metabolism, organ performance, and inflammation.

Age acceleration is the difference between a person’s biological age and their actual age. Higher values signify a faster rate of biological aging.

After considering social, economic, and demographic variables, experts reported that having the highest score on Life’s Essential 8 – indicating good cardiovascular health – was linked to a biological age that is approximately six years younger.

According to Nour Makarem, a professor at Columbia University Irving Medical Centre, a study found that better cardiovascular health is linked to slower biological aging, as indicated by phenotypic age.

We discovered a correlation that depends on the dosage – as heart health improves, biological ageing decreases.

An instance of this would be that the mean true age for individuals with healthy hearts was 41, while their mean biological age was 36. On the other hand, the mean true age for individuals with unhealthy cardiovascular health was 53, though their mean biological age was 57.

Makarem stated that by following all of Life’s Essential 8 metrics and improving cardiovascular health, one can potentially slow down the aging process and reap numerous benefits in the future.

The American Heart Association has identified eight health measures:

1. Consume nutritious foods.

2. Be more active

3. Quit smoking

4. Get healthy sleep

5. Ensure that your weight remains within a healthy range.

6. Control cholesterol

7. Watch blood sugar

8. Manage blood pressure

Source: theguardian.com