We all know that we are becoming older each and every day. Year by year the aches, pains, and wrinkles become more prevalent as we age. There is very little we can do to stop the aging process right now. You walk around each day and you probably see people at the same chronological age, yet if you were to stop them and place them next to each other you probably would think one is older than the other. What you see on the outside may not always be foretelling on the inside. That said, you kind of wonder, is chronological age the same as your biological age?

After doing a little research I found a couple of studies that gave a little clearer vision of a potential difference in chronological vs biological age. There was a study that was completed at the Norwegian university of science that involved 5000 Norwegians between the ages of 20 and 90. To predict a person’s biological age they used the measurement of vo2max (persons oxygen uptake) with the addition of waist circumference and exercise habits.

This study did not directly give the answer if a person could biologically be younger than their chronological age, yet the concept was used on a larger later study. The new study involved 55,000 people that included a health survey and the averaging of their vo2max.

Those who had a vo2max 85 percent or more below the average for their age (chronological age) proved to also have a lower life expectancy. The individuals in this study that measured 85 percent or more on the vo2max were considered to have a higher biological age than their chronological age.

The scientist concluded that the vo2max is a solid measurement to use to determine biological age over potential risk factors such as; obesity, high cholesterol, blood pressure and smoking. In the end biological age is an overall better denominator over chronological age.

So what to do if you want to lower your biological age?

Very easy, start or continue an exercise regime. So if you are upset over that wrinkle you saw first thing in the morning, think about your interior wrinkles, those ones are quite easier to reverse.

-Phil