Is Looking Younger Than Your Age Healthy?

The other day I got into a bus going to church. Walked to the back of the bus and sat down. I was about to drift into my own thoughts when I developed a strange feeling I couldn’t place. Something was not quite right about the bus!

I tried to place my finger on it. Looked to the left, right and front at the other passengers talking animatedly. I felt a little uncomfortable listening in on their conversations.

Suddenly, I couldn’t take it any more, ‘Is this bus going to church?’ I asked desperately

‘No, we’re going to school’, the teenage girl beside me replied.

I scrambled out of the bus. I had blended in with a group of teenagers going to school on a similar bus to the one I was to take to church!

Looking Younger and Health – The science

A study was conducted at Duke University’s School of Medicine and Centre for Ageing. This revealed that the younger you look on the outside is a reflection of the state of ageing of your organs(biological ageing). The older your biological age, the older you look.

For most adults, ageing on the inside proceeds at the same rate as that on the outside. However, your genes and where you stay may make you develop signs of ageing faster.

1000 people were monitored from their birth in the early 70s till they were 38 years old. At 38 they had tests for kidney, liver function, blood pressure etc. It was discovered that at 38, some of them had the biological ageing of 58-year-olds! While some (the youthful ones) had stopped getting older just as if their biological age was paused.

In essence, those that had a biological age of 58 were looking much older than their peers and this was reflected in their organs.

So it might no longer be a compliment when people say you look older than your peers.

Are you team younger looking (like me) or team older looking?

image source: themovieslistwordpress.com