Ageing is a natural process and we must all go through it. We cannot escape it but we sure can promote healthy ageing. But what does it mean to “age well”? Successful ageing refers to “the absence of physical impairment and chronic diseases, as well as optimal social participation and mental well-being”, as per a systematic review published in the Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. Interestingly, it depends on several factors. In this article, not only will we discuss the process of ageing, but will list down the things that impact ageing.
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Understanding Ageing And The Associated Health Risks
Ageing is a complex process, particularly because there are several theories around how our body ages. From cellular ageing or Cellular Senescence (CS) to hormonal ageing to the wear and tear on the body, there is no single process that can explain the changes of ageing.
According to the National Institute of Aging, it is associated with "changes in dynamic biological, physiological, environmental, psychological, behavioural, and social processes." "Some age-related changes are benign, such as greying hair. Others result in declines in function of the senses and activities of daily life and increased susceptibility to and frequency of disease, frailty, or disability. In fact, advancing age is the major risk factor for a number of chronic diseases in humans," the above-mentioned healthy body explains.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests ageing results from "the impact of the accumulation of a wide variety of molecular and cellular damage over time," adding that it leads to a gradual decrease in physical and mental capacity, a growing risk of disease and ultimately death.
As per the WHO, some of the common health conditions that are associated with ageing include: hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression and dementia.
How To Promote Healthy Ageing?
The WHO believes that people worldwide are living longer, adding that by 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over and the share of the population aged 60 years and over will increase from 100 crore in 2020 to 100.4 crore. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double and the number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050 to reach 42.6 crore, added the WHO.
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A systematic review published in the Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, identified ten determinants of healthy ageing after collecting data from nine studies, majority of which were carried out in Asia, followed by North America, Australia, and Africa. The factors include:
- Physical activity
- Diet
- Self-awareness
- Outlook/attitude
- Life-long learning
- Faith
- Social support
- Financial security
- Community engagement
- Independence
According to the WHO, genetic factors can impact health in older people, however, most are due to people’s physical and social environments. These include their homes, neighbourhoods, and communities, as well as their personal characteristics, such as their sex, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
In addition, the health organisation shares that physical and social environments can affect health directly or through barriers or incentives that affect opportunities, decisions and health behaviour. This includes maintaining healthy behaviours, for instance eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity and refraining from tobacco use, improving physical and mental capacity and delaying care dependency.
Bottomline
It is important to accept ageing as a natural force and an unpredictable event. However, you must invest in habits and choices that promote healthy ageing. Whether you’re in your 20s or 50s, it is never too late to embark on healthy and sustainable living.