To promote healthy aging, focus on the environment

To build health equity for an aging world marked by dramatic disparities in healthy lifespan between countries, regions and population groups, research at the intersections of biology, toxicology and the social and behavioral sciences points the way: to promote healthy aging, focus on the environment. In this Perspective, we suggest that ideas and tools from the emerging field of geroscience offer opportunities to advance the environmental science of aging. Specifically, the capacity to measure the pace and progress of biological processes of aging within individuals from relatively young ages makes it possible to study how changing environments can change aging trajectories from early in life, in time to prevent or delay aging-related disease and disability and build aging health equity. To build health equity for an aging world, research at the intersections of biology, toxicology and the social and behavioral sciences points the way: to promote healthy aging, focus on the environment.

Automated summary

This research suggests that to achieve health equity in an aging world, it is important to focus on the impact of the environment on aging. Utilizing ideas and tools from the field of geroscience, measuring the pace and progress of aging processes from a young age can help study how changing environments can affect aging trajectories and prevent or delay aging-related diseases and disabilities.