The Los Angeles Times (12/16, Kaplan) “Science Now” blog reports that according to a research letter published online Dec. 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine, “when it comes to longevity, feeling young may be more important than being young.” After analyzing “data on nearly 6,500 English adults,” researchers “found that those who felt at least one year older than their actual age were 41% more likely to die within eight years than were those who felt at least three years younger than the age listed on their birth certificates.”
The AP (12/16, Tanner) reports that “feeling older was a predictor of death even when the researchers accounted for things that could affect death rates, including illnesses, wealth, education, smoking, alcohol intake and physical activity.” The reason for that link is unknown, but it is “possible that health conditions and lifestyle choices that the researchers didn’t study explain why feeling old may help predict death.” Another theory is that “it may be that those who feel younger than their real age have ‘greater resilience, sense of mastery, and will to live,’ the researchers said.”
Related Links:
— “It’s OK to be old if you feel young, study suggests,” Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, December 15, 2014.