Healthy Body
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Sixty Is the New Forty: Are We Aging Slower Than Previous Generations?
January 2026
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By Jill Valentino
Recently, while cleaning my house, I came across my parents’ wedding album from 1972 which had somehow ended up in my possession. Intrigued, I called my 19-year-old daughter over to look at the photos with me. We flipped through the pages, admiring my mother’s youthful beauty as a 20-year-old bride and giggling at the hot pink dress and matching hat she made her sister, the maid of honor, actually wear. As I identified extended family members in each photo, whom my daughter never met or wouldn’t recognize in their youth, my finger landed on my grandparents. She was fortunate enough to meet and spend time with both of them on several occasions before they passed away in the mid-2010s. And she remembered them fondly, remarking that they both lived to an impressive old age (both were around 88 at the time of their passing). As I was doing the math to figure out their longevities, I came to a shocking realization. When my parents married in 1972, my grandparents, born in 1925 and 1927, were 47 and 49 years old, respectively — almost the same age as my husband and I are now!
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Jill's Grandparents, Ages 47 and 49 (1972)
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When I told my daughter this, she was genuinely shocked. “They look so much older. They look like they could be your parents,” she remarked. And I had to admit that she was right. But why did they look so much older? You’re Only As Old As You Feel A recent USC and Yale study has shown that, at least for Americans, evidence of ‘delayed aging’ does, in fact, exist when comparing the health and nutrition data of statistically similar adults over a span of twenty-two years. This conclusion supports the idea that Americans, as a population, are “aging slower.” This particular study, one of the first of its kind, sought to answer how the relationship between an adult’s biological age and their corresponding chronological age changed in the United States from 1988 to 2010. In this research, the impact of typical adult lifestyle behaviors, past and present, was also taken into consideration. When we examine how we care for ourselves today compared to lifestyle choices from decades ago, things look much different. |
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The results of this study were significant, showing that the average “biological age” of American adults (measured via indicators of metabolism, inflammation, organ function, blood pressure, and breath capacity) has decreased across all age cohorts since 1988. And while the most substantial decreases were observed in the two subgroups of older adults and men, the overall evidence indicates that we are indeed “aging slower,” which is good news for us all.
Longevity One NIH study concluded that since 1950, 80% of human gains in longevity can be attributed to medical advancements in preventing chronic fatal diseases and a decline in death rates at younger ages, increasing life expectancy. However, that was also true in 1988; yet there is a substantial difference in adult human biological age relative to chronological age from then to now. Research in other areas of the globe also shows that modern adults are aging more slowly than previous generations. A Swedish study concluded that human aging has slowed to the point where Swedish men of advanced age are considered three to four years “younger” than they used to be, while elderly Swedish women are 5 years “younger.” So, it seems in Sweden, women have a slight advantage when it comes to slowed aging; whereas here in the United States, it is men who are aging the slowest.
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Jill with Her Husband Today
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One significant characteristic Sweden and the United States share, which could be a causal “link” to the slowed-aging commonality between the two countries, is that both are considered developed nations. In a study published in Science Focus Magazine, biological aging data from over 160,000 people from 40 countries were analyzed, and across the four continents studied (Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America), researchers found that Europeans aged the slowest, while the fastest agers were mostly from lower-income countries.
Lifestyle Changes
Since 1988, the earliest point in the USC and Yale study, the American diet and sweeping medical advances have helped to improve overall health, contributing to the recent phenomenon of people in the modern era looking younger than their peers of the same age in prior generations. However, a variety of other individual lifestyle changes also play a role.
Since 1988, the earliest point in the USC and Yale study, the American diet and sweeping medical advances have helped to improve overall health, contributing to the recent phenomenon of people in the modern era looking younger than their peers of the same age in prior generations. However, a variety of other individual lifestyle changes also play a role.
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A Detailed Look at Lifestyle Changes Over the Past 35 to 40 Years
Cigarette Smoking In 1985, about 30% of U.S. adults smoked cigarettes. By 2018, that rate had been slashed to just 14%. Those who smoke are not only prone to health issues such as COPD and certain cancers. An article published by McGill University titled "We Used to Look Older" reported that grayish skin with premature wrinkling was due to decreased blood flow and impaired collagen caused by smoking. "Plummeting rates of smoking over the decades means less premature aging of the skin." Therefore, it is likely that the decline in cigarette smoking over the past 35 to 40 years is a contributor to why modern American adults are aging more slowly. Ultraviolet Rays In the 1980s, sunblock was not considered a necessity. Back then, most “sunscreens” were used for tanning and had dangerously low SPF ratings. Today, we are much more aware of the harm UV rays can cause to the skin and the importance of applying sunscreen before spending even a little time in the sun. This precautionary and relatively new habit is a likely contributor to why modern American adults have healthier and younger-looking skin. Access to Cosmetic Procedures and Premium Products Today, many middle-class adults can afford minor cosmetic procedures that did not exist 35 to 40 years ago, such as Botox, lip injections, teeth whitening, and buccal fat removal. Many modern adult men pay more attention to their grooming as well, opting for premium grooming products that are now made specifically for men. Hair and makeup are more tailored to individual needs, and YouTube tutorials on how to use styling tools are accessible for everyone. Widely available and affordable, these minor cosmetic options and premium grooming products help with confidence and are likely contributors to why modern American adults seem to be aging more slowly today. Attitude speaks volumes when aiming to look one's best. |
So, if you think you look much younger than your grandmother did at the same age, most of the rest of your peers probably have the same perspective. And the science seems to agree!
So, if you think you look much younger than your grandmother did at the same age, most of the rest of your peers probably have the same perspective. And the science seems to agree!
Additional Resources:
Addressing Eating Disorders in Midlife (U.S. Deptartment of Health & Human Services, OASH)
Eating Disorders — Statistics (NIH)
What is an Eating Disorder? (National Eating Disorders Collaboration, NEDC)
Eating Disorders in Midlife and Beyond (National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Eating Disorders — Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factors (Mayo Clinic)
Support Groups and Other Resources (ANAD)
Addressing Eating Disorders in Midlife (U.S. Deptartment of Health & Human Services, OASH)
Eating Disorders — Statistics (NIH)
What is an Eating Disorder? (National Eating Disorders Collaboration, NEDC)
Eating Disorders in Midlife and Beyond (National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Eating Disorders — Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factors (Mayo Clinic)
Support Groups and Other Resources (ANAD)
Jill Valentino is an educator, freelance writer, essayist, tutor, and educational video and teaching materials creator. Her work has been published in Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Country Living, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Woman's Day, and Hudson Valley Parent magazine. She is a regular contributor for Sanctuary.
