Factors that Impact Longevity – Biological, Physical, and Social

Introduction

The Vision of The Difference is to achieve healthy long-term nutrition, activity, and weight management habits for its clients and communities to improve quality of life and prolong longevity. There are many factors that impact longevity. Weight problems and weight-related comorbidities have overtaken cigarette smoking as the number one cause of premature death in the United States. Therefore, we believe that The Difference App can play an important role in making lasting improvements in the health and wellness of our clients and communities and, in doing so, achieve our vision to improve quality of life and prolong longevity.

However, the subject of longevity is multifaceted and it involves many factors. As a responsible health and wellness company, we ascribe to the tenets of holistic living. Therefore, a broad discussion on longevity is a worthwhile read. In this article, we hear from an expert, Donna L. Roberts, Ph.D., about her perspective on the subject.

Discussion

Summary

Longevity literally refers to the “length of life” (Merriam-Webster, 2003, p. 726). It encompasses the related concepts of life span, “the maximum number of years an individual can live” and life expectancy, “the number of years that will probably be lived by the average person born in a particular year” (Santrock, 2002, p. 526). Like virtually all other physical and psychological phenomena, longevity is a factor of a combination of heredity and environmental influences — the nature and the nurture.

Some gerontologists have attempted to separate the factors that impact longevity into the distinctive categories of primary aging processes — changes presumed to be genetically programmed (such as brain cell loss) — and secondary aging processes — events and processes that accelerate primary aging, resulting from the lifelong accumulation of insult to one’s body from stress, emotional tension, physical trauma and disease (Selye, 1970; Timiras, 1978; Birren & Schaie, 2001).

Heredity

Heredity is certainly a key factor influencing an individual’s longevity. In general, an individual’s life expectancy tends to mirror that of his/her close ancestors, within a relatively close range (Hoyer, Roodin, Rybash & Rybash, 2002; Papalia, Camp & Feldman, 1995). Many genetic theorists posit that the rate and progression of biological aging are controlled by a pre-wired genetic program (Hoyer, Roodin, Rybash & Rybash, 2002). Specifically, they argue that the key mechanism contributing to longevity is the genetically based ability of cells to repair age-accumulated damage (strongly influenced by environmental factors) to the DNA molecule and that the efficiency of this biological repair system varies among hereditary lines (Sacher, 1978; Sacher & Duffy, 1979).

In other words, living ‘to a ripe old age’ tends to ‘run in families’, indicating a strong genetic link. Many aspects of physical/biological health, including, predisposition to illness and disease, body composition, metabolism, etc., are directly related to one’s genetic endowments. These factors seem to serve as a set point for a range within which life choices and environment can influence various health issues (Whitbourne, 2000; Birren & Schaie, 2001).

Gender

Additionally, sex differences in longevity have both a biological and a social component. From a biological perspective, females as a whole, in conjunction with the presence of the X chromosome, tend to exhibit more resistance to infections, less tendency toward degenerative diseases, and increased production of antibodies in the immune system (Santrock, 2002; Hoyer, Roodin, Rybash & Rybash, 2002).

Lifestyle

Lifestyle patterns, including proper nutrition, medical care, exercise, and intellectual stimulation are related to increased life expectancy (Santrock, 2002). Additional socioemotional factors that impact longevity such as comfortable socioeconomic status (including access to adequate health care), satisfying interpersonal relationships, and positive self-concept, have also been associated with a longer, healthier life span (Pfeiffer, 2001). Similarly, stress has been implicated in reducing the energy capacity of individuals and contributing to the wear-and-tear explanation of aging. Characteristic differences in temperament play a role in the effects of stress in that stress involves a combination of external events and the internal cognitive and physiological response mechanisms of the individual (Whitbourne, 2000; Birren & Schaie, 2001; Santrock, 2002; Hoyer, Roodin, Rybash & Rybash, 2002).

Environment

From the environmental perspective, many factors contribute to longevity (or conversely the lack thereof). In a broader sense, cross-cultural differences in longevity are well documented (Whitbourne, 2000; Birren & Schaie, 2001). These differences can be attributed primarily to varying health conditions (i.e., clean and safe water, food supply, and sanitation). Global environmental issues such as hazardous waste disposal, exposure to toxins, pollution, and atmospheric deterioration, represent additional issues that can impact the longevity of individuals, especially in high-risk geographic locations (Hoyer, Roodin, Rybash & Rybash, 2002).

Conclusion

This article provides an overview of the multifaceted subject of longevity, and the factors that impact longevity including biological, physical, and social. The Difference seeks to address one of the most important these: weight problems and weight-related comorbidities. Please email us at Info@TheDifferenceApp.com for more information or join our mailing list.

Our guest author, Donna L. Roberts, Ph.D., is a Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide, College of Arts & Sciences. To find out more about her and to read more of her articles please visit her page on Medium or her website psychpstuff.com.

References

Beres (2019). “Obesity is the leading cause of death in America. When will we talk about it?”. Big Think.

Birren, J. E. & Schaie, K. W. (Eds.). (2001). Handbook of the psychology of aging, 5e. New York, NY: Reinhold.

Hoyer, W. J., Roodin, P. A., Rybash, J. M. & Rybash, P. (2002). Adult development and aging. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Merriam-Webster, Inc. (2003). Merriam Webster’s collegiate dictionary, 11e. New York, NY: Merriam-Webster.

Sacher, G. A. (1978). Longevity, aging and death: An evolutionary perspective. Gerontologist, 18, 112–119.

Sacher, G. A. & Duffy, P. H. (1979). Genetic relation of life-span to metabolic rate. Federal Proceedings, 38, 184–188.

Santrock, J. W. (2002). Life-span development, 8e. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Seyle, H. (1970). Stress and aging. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 18, pp. 660–681.

Timiras, P. (1972). Developmental physiology and aging. New York, NY: MacMillian.

Whitbourne, S. K. (2000). Adult development and aging: Biopsychosocial perspectives. New York, NY: Wiley.