1. More good healthnews.
Russell Grenning
I’ve beentremendouslycheeredupbythe findingsof scientistsfromthe UniversityCollege,London,
that feelingyoungerthanyouractual age mightbe goodfor you.
The researchteam useddatafrom a studyon ageingwhichsurveyed6,489individualswhose
average chronological age was65.8 yearsbutwhose average self-perceivedagedwas56.8 years.
Most – 69.6% - feltthree ormore yearsyoungerthantheiractual age, 25.6% hada self-perceived
age close totheirreal age and4.8% feltmore thana year olderthantheirchronological age.
GiventhatI feel thatI am only18, I have concludedfromthisstudythatI shouldlive tobe 168. That
isnot to meanthat I have alreadyenteredbysecondchildhoodand,yes, Ican hearthe criticssaying,
“There’s no foollike an old fool” but, honestly,abitof self-delusioncanhave positive benefits. Very
possibly,I’ve takenmyself-delusionawee bittoofar.
Afterall,evensome cosmeticchange – anythingfromhavingyourhairdone to a complete face-lift–
doesinduce some positive feelingsof self-worth:the ”I’mlooking pretty damn good fora person of
my age” reactionI call it.
The study showedthatself-perceivedage canreflecthonestassessments of health,physical
limitationandwell-beinglaterinlife.
Mortalityratesduringan average of 99 monthswere 14.3% inadultswhofeltyounger,18.5% in
those whofelttheiractual age and 24.6% inthose whofeltolder.While the associationbetween
self-perceivedage andcardiovasculardeathwasstrong,there wasno associationbetweenself-
perceivedage andcancerdeath.The risk of heartdisease increaseswithage while cancercanstrike
any age group.
The study concluded,“Themechanismsunderlying theseassociationsmeritfurtherinvestigation.
Possibilities include a broadersetof health behavioursthan wemeasured (such asmaintaining a
healthy weightand adherenceof medical advice),and greaterresilience, senseof mastery and will to
live among thosewho felt youngerthan theirage.Self-perceived agehasthe potentialto change,so
interventionsmay bepossible.Individualswho feelolder than their actualage could be targeted with
healthmessagespromoting positivehealth behavioursand attitudestowardsageing.”
Meanwhile,anotherteamatSt Michael’sHospital atthe Universityof Toronto(Canada) hasfound
that while mostadultswanttoavoidlookingasolderthantheiractual age – no surprise there! –
lookingolderthanyouractual age doesnotnecessarilypointtopoorhealth.Infact,the study
concludedthata personwouldhave tolookat leasttenyearsolderthan theiractual age before any
assumptionscouldbe made abouttheirgeneral health.
Accordingto one of thisteam,Dr StephenHwang, “Few peopleare awarethatwhen physicians
describe their patientsto other physicians,they often includean assessmentof whetherthepatient
looksolder than his or her actualage.”
“This long-standing medicalpracticeassumesthatpeoplewho lookolderthan their actual ageare
likely to be in poorhealthbutourstudy showsthisisn’t alwaystrue,”he said.

2. The study foundthatwhena physicianratedanindividualaslookinguptofive yearsolderthantheir
actual age,ithad little value inpredictingwhetherornotthe personwasin poorhealth.However,
whena physicianthoughtthata personlookedtenyearsormore yearsolderthantheiractual age,
99% of these individualshadverypoorphysical ormental health.
Dr Hwang explained,“Physicianshavesimply assumed thattheirquickassessmentof how old a
person lookshasdiagnosticvalue.We were really surprised to find thatpeoplehaveto looka decade
older than their actualage beforeit’sa reliable sign that they are in poorhealth.It wasalso very
interesting to discoverthatmany peoplewho look their ageare in poorhealth.Doctorsneed to
rememberthan even if patientslooktheir age,we shouldn’tassumethattheirhealth is fine.”
The study lookedat126 people betweenthe agesof 30 and 70 who were visitingadoctor’soffice
and participantscompletedasurveythataccuratelydeterminedwhethertheyhadpoorphysical or
mental health.Eachwasphotographedandthe photographswere shownto58 physicianswhowere
toldwhat the subject’sactual age andaskedto rate how oldthe personlooked.
Perhapswe patientsshouldbe askedtoconsideralist photographs of medicos forourassessment
as to whichlookedthe brightest.MyGPwouldcome stone bloodylast – he lookslike aparticularly
dull 60 yearoldwhen,infact,he has more degreesthanIhave had colddrinkson a hot dayand he is
actuallyinhislate 30s.
Nexttime yourdoctorpreachesat youremindhimor herthan it wasJesuswhosaid, “Physician,
heal thyself.” That shouldpull the buggerup.