"Looking older" could be related to health issues
An association between a person's perceived age and their risk of age-related health problems, such as cognitive decline, has been found in new research, which was published in the British Journal of Dermatology. This finding suggests that as our bodies and minds age, so do our faces.
An independent panel used high-resolution photographs from both the front and side to estimate the ages of 2,679 primarily northern European men and women (with an average age of 65.8 years) for the study.
An average of 27 assessors gave each image a score, and the participants' perceived age was calculated by subtracting their real age from the estimate made by the impartial panel. A person who has a seven on the scale of perceived age, for instance, appears to be seven years younger than they actually are. The higher the perceived age score, the younger the person appears to be.
Even after correcting for smoking status and pack-years, looking younger was associated with better cognitive performance and a lower risk of osteoporosis, cataracts, and age-related hearing loss.
The youngest-looking group, which was primarily male (61%), less frequently smoked, and had the greatest BMI, was thought to be on average five years younger than their actual age (probably due to the filler effect of facial fat).
The Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam's Professor Tamar Nijsten, the study's primary author, said: "This research expands on other studies looking at how visible age can predict health consequences. We especially looked into the relationship between maintaining a youthful appearance and numerous age-related health conditions, and we discovered that youthful appearances are connected with lower levels of systemic aging. In other words, if you appear younger than you actually are, your body, mind, and organ systems are likely to be in good health.
"Although this study didn't specifically address why this is the case, it is likely that the same factors that affect the tissue at other sites around the body and are linked to corresponding changes in bone density also affect the tissue at the face, such as the reduction of subcutaneous fat and the development of wrinkles.
"While not a conclusive study, this one is arguably the greatest one to date for showing that internal aging also affects perceived age. The study unequivocally shows that something is happening that is likely biological in nature and goes beyond standard lifestyle factors like UV exposure or smoking.
Matthew Gass of the British Association of Dermatologists stated, "According to our study, maintaining a youthful appearance is not simply a question of vanity; it can also be a red flag for one's general health.
"While smoking and sun exposure are two of the most blatant environmental and lifestyle variables that make us seem older, natural aging is also a role in some cases. In other circumstances, the relationship between looking younger and particular health issues is likely to be a result of a mix of environmental variables and aging naturally."
