Extreme heat may have a bigger impact on biological ageing than smoking and drinking alcohol, research suggests.
Extreme heat may have a bigger impact on biological ageing than smoking and drinking alcohol, research suggests. As climate change fuels rising temperatures worldwide, a new study warns that extreme heat could be speeding up the ageing process in older adults. Seniors exposed to prolonged periods of extreme heat showed signs of increased biological ageing, according to the study published in the journal Science Advances this week. Researchers from the University of Southern California examined data from more than 3,600 people aged 56 and older across the United States, comparing their biological markers to temperature patterns in their local environments. Their findings? Those living in areas with frequent days above 32°C - classified as “Extreme Caution” or higher by the US National Weather Service - had an accelerated biological age, sometimes by more than a year. What is biological ageing and why does it matter? Unlike chronological age, which counts the years since birth, biological age reflects the wear and tear on the body at a cellular and molecular level. A higher biological age than chronological age is linked to an increased risk of disease and premature death. For the study, researchers analysed blood samples collected over a six-year period from 2010 to 2016, including from participants in hot regions such as Arizona.
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I'll going out on a limb and say this probably only applies to white folks for the moment, given the underrepresentation of Blacks in such studies. Also, Blacks live in and have adapted to hotter climes, and as the saying goes "Black don't crack." Of course, as temperatures rise around the globe Blacks will also be affected. They already are, thanks to droughts and floods. That kind of stress will take years off you.
