The researchers looked at data from more than 6,500 adults, who had undergone blood tests to measure markers of health such as metabolism, inflammation and organ function. They also scored study participants on how well their lifestyles adhered to the Life’s Essential 8, with high scores indicating good heart health. “We found that higher cardiovascular health is associated with decelerated biological ageing,” said Nour Makarem, the senior author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. “We also found a dose-dependent association: as heart health goes up, biological ageing goes down.” The study established both that people with high levels of heart health were biologically younger than expected and that people with low adherence to the eight habits were biologically older than expected. The average actual age of those with high cardiovascular health was 41, yet their average biological age was 36. The average actual age of those who had low cardiovascular health was 53, although their average biological age was 57. After taking into account various social, economic and demographic factors, having the highest Life’s Essential 8 score was associated with having a biological age that is on average six years younger than the individual’s actual age. Makarem added: “Greater adherence to all Life’s Essential 8 metrics and improving your cardiovascular health can slow down your body’s ageing process and have a lot of benefits down the line. “Reduced biologic ageing is not just associated with lower risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, it is also associated with longer life and lower risk of death.” The analysis is being presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia. Donald M Lloyd-Jones, chairman of the writing group for Life’s Essential 8 and a past volunteer president of the American Heart Association, said: “These findings help us understand the link between chronological age and biological age and how following healthy lifestyle habits can help us live longer. “Everyone wants to live longer, yet more importantly, we want to live healthier longer, so we can really enjoy and have good quality of life for as many years as possible.” Separate research published on Monday found that having the blood pressure, cholesterol and lung function of someone five years older can increase your risk of dementia or a stroke by 40 per cent.
