Eternal youth is not yet within our grasp, but in recent months, scientists have been reminding us that simple actions can slow down the ageing process.

Such is the case of a recent study by researchers that highlights the link between good heart health and slower biological ageing, and that suggests a number of lifestyle habits to adopt to reap the benefits.

This isn’t about banishing wrinkles, fine lines or other signs of ageing, but of slowing down the deterioration of physical and mental capacities and, consequently, reducing the risk of illness and death. Biological ageing is unique to each individual and can depend not only on genetic factors, which are difficult to influence, but also on environmental factors.

It was the latter that interested a team of United States researchers, who set out to determine whether the “Life’s Essential 8” checklist set out by the American Heart Association (AHA) for good cardiovascular health could influence biological ageing.

To do this, the authors calculated the “phenotypic age” (health-related body age) and “phenotypic age acceleration” (the difference between actual age and phenotypic age) of more than 6,500 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a research programme conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2015 and 2018.

Presented by the AHA, these findings show that good cardiovascular health can help to slow biological ageing, and that the “Life’s Essential 8” lifestyle factors can make a significant contribution.

“We found that higher cardiovascular health is associated with decelerated biological ageing, as measured by phenotypic age. We also found a dose-dependent association: as heart health goes up, biological ageing goes down,” said study senior author Nour Makarem.

Sleep, diet, exercise

The study also reports that following the AHA’s checklist could help slow biological ageing by six years. In detail, the researchers report that participants with good cardiovascular health had a negative phenotypic age acceleration; in other words, they were physiologically younger than their actual age would suggest.

The opposite was true for participants with poor cardiovascular health. “For example, the average actual age of those with high cardiovascular health was 41, yet their average biological age was 36; and the average actual age of those who had low cardiovascular health was 53, though their average biological age was 57,” reads an overview of the research.

“Greater adherence to all ‘Life’s Essential 8’ metrics and improving your cardiovascular health can slow down your body’s ageing process and have a lot of benefits down the line,” the study’s lead author further noted. “Reduced biological ageing is not just associated with lower risk of chronic disease such as heart disease; it is also associated with longer life and lower risk of death.”

So what are the eight habits you should adopt for good cardiovascular health? On the AHA’s checklist of lifestyle behaviours and health measures that drive optimal cardiovascular health are:

• healthy sleep;
• quitting smoking;
• regular physical activity;
• a healthy diet;
• a healthy weight;
• balanced blood sugar levels;
• healthy cholesterol levels; and
• good blood pressure levels.

Note that previous research, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in July, showed that adopting eight healthy habits would enable men to live an average of 24 years longer, and women 21 years longer.

These included being physically active, not smoking, managing stress effectively, eating and sleeping well, not drinking excessively, not being dependent on opioids, and maintaining positive social relationships.

It now remains to be seen whether combining all these actions, or at least the most pertinent ones, will enable us to live even longer.