Assessing these markers can be a useful guide in clinical care and help improve the predictability of longevity in older people.
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Scientists have firmly established that our genes hold many of the secrets to a long and healthy life. But advances in the science of aging are also partly due to analytical tools that identify potential targets for therapy. The new model has provided valuable information that could significantly improve these numbers in the coming years.
The new model estimates life expectancy by paying less attention to markers of classic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, and focuses on factors such as the ability to go to the grocery store or whether a person has smoked at times in their life.
“The new study was designed to determine the immediate causes of longevity — factors that portend whether someone lives another two years or another 10 years. If applied correctly, these measures can help determine the advantages and disadvantages of screening tests and treatment of older people,” family doctor Tatyana Zakharova says specifically for MedicForum.
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The analysis found that physical function was the leading factor associated with longevity. This was defined broadly as the ability to go grocery shopping or do other household chores.
< br>Surprisingly, the study also showed that the presence of other health complications and heart disease were not the main predictors of longevity.
It was found that for older people living two years longer time of blood sampling, the leading factor associated with longevity waspresence of excess high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
< br>Retirement waiver and sex will help you live 10 years longer
Five years after blood sampling, younger age and cognitive functionwere predictors of longevity. Among the longest survivors—those who lived to 10 years—the best predictor was a person's history of smoking, with nonsmokers doing best.
MedicForum previously wrote about the benefits of nuts for heart health.