Study Finds Where You Live Can Make You Age Faster

*Looks up cost of relocating* - by Laura Barry

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Have you ever wondered when you might start feeling the effects of old age? And at what age are we truly old? A new American study has discovered a way to estimate at what age we start to feel the true health effects of ageing, and how where we live can impact that age.

Researchers from the Centre for Health Trends and Forecasts at the University of Washington used data from the Global Burden of Disease study, to determine the age at which most age-related diseases will start to affect you, and the results are interesting.

The researchers used data collected between 1990 and 2017 from 195 countries about the age-related diseases suffered by people age 65 years. This sample served as a reference group for comparison against people of other ages in different countries.

They then attempted to answer the question: at what age do people in different countries start to feel the effects of age-related diseases?

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The researchers of the study found which countries age faster, and which aged slower.

Papua New Guinea aged the fastest with the highest rate of age-related health problems, with people facing physical, mental and cognitive impairment equivalent to a 65-year-old - from just 46.

Switzerland had the lowest rate of age-related disease and aged the slowest, with Swiss people not experiencing the health problems of a 65-year-old until they reach 76.

The study also found that Australians don’t feel 65 years old until we’re 73.6 years old. Win!

The research suggests that where you live can have a large impact on how late or early the effects of old age will set in.

This article originally appeared on Better Homes & Gardens.

Laura Barry

Laura Barry is a writer, bookworm and interior design enthusiast with a love for reporting on all things homes and lifestyle. When not tapping away at her keyboard, Laura can be found making endless cups of tea or perusing the shelves of Sydney’s many bookstores.