8 Steps to Heart Health: Slowing Biological Aging by 6 Years, Revealed by Research

 8 Steps to Heart Health: Slowing Biological Aging by 6 Years, Revealed by Research

If you aspire to extend your lifespan while slowing the process of biological aging, recent research has uncovered a remarkable connection between robust heart health and a deceleration in the aging of your body. This study identifies specific steps you can take to achieve this. 

Drawing from data gathered from 6,500 adults who actively participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2015 and 2018, this analysis concludes that individuals with high cardiovascular health appear to experience a significant delay in their biological aging. Remarkably, these adults with superior heart health demonstrated a biological age that was approximately six years younger than their chronological age.

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, elucidates this groundbreaking finding. He states, "We found that higher cardiovascular health is associated with decelerated biological aging, as measured by phenotypic age. We also found a dose-dependent association — as heart health goes up, biological aging goes down." He emphasizes the importance of phenotypic age as a practical tool for assessing the body's biological aging process and its role as a strong predictor of future disease and mortality risk.

Conversely, the study also indicates that individuals with lower heart health experienced an increase in phenotypic age, implying that they were biologically "older" than expected.

For instance, adults with high cardiovascular health had an average actual age of 41, while their average biological age was 36. In contrast, individuals with low cardiovascular health had an average actual age of 53, but their average biological age was 57.

The research employed the American Heart Association's "Life's Essential 8" checklist, a compilation of lifestyle behaviors used to evaluate individuals' heart health levels. The eight essential steps include:

1. Adopting a healthier diet

2. Increasing physical activity

3. Quitting tobacco use

4. Ensuring restful sleep

5. Managing weight effectively

6. Controlling cholesterol levels

7. Regulating blood sugar

8. Maintaining healthy blood pressure

Makarem emphasizes that adhering to these Life's Essential 8 metrics and enhancing cardiovascular health can effectively decelerate the aging process within the body, offering a multitude of long-term benefits. Reduced biological aging not only correlates with a decreased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease but also contributes to an extended life span and a lower risk of mortality.

While the study demonstrates the potential of these lifestyle changes to impact biological aging, it is essential to acknowledge that the cardiovascular metrics were measured only once, limiting the ability to assess changes in heart health over time.

Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, chair of the writing group for Life's Essential 8 and a former volunteer president of the American Heart Association, highlights the significance of this research. He expresses the common desire for a longer life but underscores the greater importance of living a healthier and more fulfilling life. By following these healthy lifestyle habits, individuals can aim for an extended lifespan marked by improved quality of life.

This preliminary study, funded by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, is scheduled for presentation at the AHA's Scientific Sessions 2023 in Philadelphia later this month. It represents a significant step toward understanding the impact of heart health on the aging process and the potential benefits of adhering to a heart-healthy lifestyle.