Eight measures have been named to slow down the aging of the body up to six years

Scientists have named eight health measures that can slow down the aging process by six years. These measures, including healthy sleep and regular exercise, help slow down the rate of biological aging of the body.

According to American experts, keeping body weight, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure under control, while maintaining a healthy sleep and eating schedule, regular physical activity and quitting smoking can slow down the aging process by about six years.

According to The Guardian, new research shows that following these measures promotes good heart health, which in turn can slow the rate of biological aging by up to six years.

The findings, based on data from more than 6,500 adults with an average age of 47 years, were presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Meeting in Philadelphia.

The researchers said that people with the best cardiovascular health were biologically about six years younger—the rate at which they aged each year they lived—than their actual age.

“These findings help us understand the relationship between chronological age and biological age and how adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help us live longer,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, chair of the writing team for Life’s Essential 8, the AHA’s health assessment tool.

“Everyone wants to live longer, but more importantly, we want to live healthier longer so that we can truly enjoy and have a good quality of life for as many years as possible,” notes Lloyd-Jones, a past AHA volunteer president.

Life’s Essential 8 aims to measure heart health based on four modifiable lifestyle indicators and four modifiable health markers.

To measure a person’s phenotypic, or biological, age, the researchers tested their metabolism, organ function and inflammation.

Phenotypic aging acceleration is the difference between a person’s biological age and their actual age, with higher values ​​indicating faster biological aging.

After controlling for social, economic and demographic factors, the researchers said having the highest Life Essential 8 score, which signifies good cardiovascular health, was associated with a biological age of about six years younger.

Senior study author Noor Makarem, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, said: “We found that better cardiovascular health is associated with slower biological aging as measured by phenotypic age.

“We also found a dose-dependent relationship—as heart health improves, biological aging slows.”

For example, the average actual age of people with good heart health was 41 years, although their average biological age was 36 years; and the average actual age of those with poor cardiovascular health was 53 years, although their average biological age was 57 years.

Makarem said: “Better adherence to all 8 vital signs and improved cardiovascular health can slow down your body’s aging process and provide many benefits later on.”

Finally, The Guardian lists eight health measures identified by the American Heart Association. Eat a healthy diet. Be more active. Quit smoking. Ensure yourself a healthy sleep. Maintain a healthy weight. Control your cholesterol levels. Monitor your blood sugar levels. Monitor your blood pressure.