Why do some people age more slowly than others?

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People really do differ in how fast they age, and the discrepancy begins at a young age, new research shows.

By the tender age of 45, people with a faster rate of 'biological aging' are more likely to feel, function and look much older than they were, researchers have found actually. And this relative rush to old age began at the age of 20.

According to the authors of the study, the obtained data suggest that we need to look at aging differently.

“Aging is a lifelong process. It doesn't start suddenly at age 60,” said lead researcher Maxwell Elliott, a doctoral student at Duke University in Durham.

Anyone who has ever known an energetic, intelligent 80-year-old or 50-year-old burdened with health problems and physical disabilities knows that chronological age does not tell the whole story. This is recognized by the concept of biological aging – or the rate at which the body's systems deteriorate over time. But it's not clear exactly when people begin to diverge in rates of biological aging.

New evidence suggests that the split occurs quite early.

For the study, Elliott and his colleagues used data on more than 1,000 New Zealanders who were followed from birth in the 1970s until age 45. The rate of their biological aging was tracked starting at age 26, based on indicators such as body fat, heart health, lung volume, markers of inflammation in the blood, and even tooth decay.

It turns out that people really do vary greatly. according to the degree of biological aging: people with the slowest growth added only 0.4 “biological years” for each chronological year; in contrast, the most rapidly aging participant added nearly 2.5 biological years for each chronological year.

By age 45, the rapidly aging participant was already showing some of the health indicators typically associated with old age. Compared to their peers, they moved more slowly, had less grip and more problems with balance, vision and hearing. Differences in mental acuity were also evident, the researchers found.

On average, people who aged faster scored lower on tests of memory performance and generally reported more forgetfulness in everyday life. Meanwhile, MRI showed that they usually have more signs of thinning brain tissue.