Prolonged heat accelerates aging in older people: Study

A new study suggests that exposure to extreme heat can accelerate old age in older adults.

People living in areas where heat lasts longer experience faster biological aging than people who live in colder areas, the researchers said.

“People living in areas where the heat is very high, which is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, have an additional biological aging of up to 14 months compared to people living in colder areas,” said lead researcher Avon Young-choi, a postdoctoral scholar and lead researcher at the University of Southern California.

Biological age is identified as the decline of function in the cells and systems of the body as opposed to the historical age based on a person’s date of birth.

The researchers said that biological age, which is greater than one’s historical age, is associated with a higher risk of death and disease.