Looking younger or older than your age is a very subjective observation that often comes from the eyes of others.
Only in fact, it could be an indication of our state of health.
This is the conclusion of Dutch scientists from Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
By asking people to estimate the age of other individuals based on their photographs and then comparing their medical data, researchers found that looking older is associated with an increased risk of health-related problems. to aging.
These results were published on January 10 in the
British Journal of Dermatology
.
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Perceived age, a reflection of internal aging?
To reach these conclusions, the team of scientists gathered face and profile photographs of 2,769 women and men of European origin, aged 51 to 87.
These images were submitted to a panel of 27 people, in charge of evaluating the age of the models based solely on their appearance.
Each photographed individual was assigned a score, calculated according to the difference between their real age and that perceived.
The higher this score, the younger the person appeared to respondents.
Read alsoToo young, too old… What is the right age?
These scores were then examined by the researchers in light of the lifestyle data of the models photographed.
Among this information, we found the body mass index, tobacco consumption or UV exposure.
Medical history was also scrutinized.
Renal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, muscular, bone, ocular and auditory pathologies… Nothing was ruled out, even cognitive abilities were measured.
If you look younger than you are, the health of your organ systems, body and mind is likely to reflect this.
Tamar Nijsten, professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam and lead author of the study
After analysis, the researchers found that "looking older than one's (actual) age was associated with a higher mortality rate," read the study's conclusions.
In people who looked five years younger, the researchers found no major health concerns.
Specifically, perception was associated with a lower risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoporosis, cataracts and age-related hearing loss.
Looking younger was also associated with better overall cognitive functioning, the scientists confirm in their press release.
A promising diagnostic index
“If you look younger than you are, the health of your organ systems, body and mind is likely to reflect this,” comments Professor Tamar Nijsten, lead author of the study.
"It's not a definitive study, but it's probably the best study to date providing evidence that perceived age also reflects internal aging," he continues.
According to the researchers, the perception of age is therefore promising and could be considered as a serious diagnostic index.
However, further studies should be considered.
Indeed, the sample observed by the Erasmus University of Rotterdam was mainly composed of people from northwestern Europe.
Future research should therefore broaden their investigation and extend it to population groups with more diverse ethnic origins.
