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Live Well, Live Long : Science-backed tips for a healthier & longer life

Volume 2: What Is the Difference Between Chronological and Biological Age?
Welcome back to our expert-led series on living a long and healthy life. In the previous article, we talked about ‘Biomarkers’: Your body’s built-in signals, that give us clues about how we’re ageing and what treatments can help slow it down. With a better grasp of the factors that influence ageing, today we’ll explore the ageing process in more detail.

Beyond Birthdays: The Real Story of Aging
Chronological age v/s Biological age

Ever noticed how some people look way younger (or older) than they actually are? It’s like a high school reunion where someone who looks 25 says they’re 40. This intriguing phenomenon highlights that ageing is a unique journey for each person, shaped by various factors beyond just our birthdate. In this article, we’ll explore the elements that influence ageing and how they manifest in our lives. Let’s dive into what makes some of us age like fine wine and others, well, not so much.

Age is a multifaceted concept, often perceived through different lenses. While chronological age, the number of years one has lived since birth, is widely understood, biological age delves deeper into the physiological markers and health status of an individual. Distinguishing between these two types of age is crucial for understanding ageing processes and their implications for health and well-being.

The Dual Faces of Age
Age isn’t just a number; it’s a whole story. Think of chronological age as the number of candles on your birthday cake, while biological age is more like how old you feel after running a marathon (or maybe just a flight of stairs). While chronological age (the number of years one has lived since birth) is widely understood, biological age delves deeper into the physiological markers and health status of an individual. Understanding the difference between these two can give us a lot of insight into our overall health and ageing process.

Chronological Age: Counting the Years
Chronological age can be defined as the time measured from an individual’s birth to a particular date. Chronological age advances at the same rate for everyone. For example, if a person who was born on May 1, 2000, is asked their age on June 3, 2021, their chronological age is 21 years, 1 month, and 2 days. However, chronological age alone does not provide insight into an individual’s health status or functional capabilities.

Biological Age: The True Reflection of Health
Biological age refers to an individual’s age as determined by their physiological condition. It tells the story of your body’s condition and overall health. Unlike chronological age, which marches on at a steady pace, biological age can vary significantly among individuals of the same chronological age. It is influenced by genetic factors, lifestyle choices, environmental exposures, and disease burden.

 Implications for Health and Longevity
Understanding your biological age helps you gauge your risk for age-related diseases and figure out the best ways to support healthy ageing. By finding out the factors that speed up ageing and making changes to your habits, you can take steps to live longer and stay vibrant.

Longevity is a field of medicine that tells you how to live longer and healthier. Its main goal is to not only prolong the lifespan, but also ensure you live active, productive, and healthy lives even as you age. It is commonly used to discuss the factors that contribute to living a long, healthy life, such as genetics, lifestyle choices, healthcare, diet, and environmental influences. Longevity can also pertain to the lifespan of objects or institutions, but it is most frequently associated with human life.

Factors Influencing Biological Age

-Genetics: Your genes can influence how quickly or slowly you age. Some people are lucky to inherit genes that help them age more gracefully, while others may be more prone to faster ageing due to their genetic makeup.
-Lifestyle: How you live your life has a big impact on how you age. Eating a healthy diet, staying active, avoiding smoking, and drinking alcohol in moderation can help keep you looking and feeling younger.
-Environment: The world around you also affects how you age. Factors like pollution, financial stability, access to healthcare, and stress levels can all play a role. Living in a stressful or polluted environment can make one age faster.
-Disease: Chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease can speed up the ageing process and lead to more health issues as one gets older. On the flip side, managing these diseases well and taking preventive steps can help you age more slowly.

Embracing Healthy Aging
While chronological age serves as a fundamental marker of time, biological age provides a more nuanced understanding of an individual’s health status and ageing process. By recognizing the distinction between these two types of age and embracing strategies to promote healthy ageing, individuals can enhance their quality of life and mitigate the burden of age-related diseases.

What’s next in the series?
With a deeper understanding of biological and chronological age, in the next volume, we will discuss sleep and the link it has to health and longevity. Stay tuned as we uncover the secrets to a long and healthy life, empowering you to take control of your ageing journey. Live Well, Live Long!

(This Article is written by Ruchismita Deb, Manager- Strategic Initiatives & Diagnostics Catalog Expansion and reviewed by Dr. Swati Mishra, Medical Editor)

References:
1. Caring for our Elders- Institutional Responses-India Ageing Report 2023
2. Belsky, D. W., Caspi, A., Houts, R., Cohen, H. J., Corcoran, D. L., Danese, A., … & Moffitt, T. E. (2015). Quantification of biological aging in young adults. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(30), E4104-E4110.