Is Looking Old Bad For Your Health?

A new study from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark has shown that looking old might be bad for your health. The study lead, Dr. Anne Tybjaerg-Hansen and her researchers looked at 11,000 Danish people. They calculated the difference between their biological age and their chronological age. They looked closely at 3,400 participants for over 35 years and recorded their health problems and their age appearance.

They found that those who had 3+ signs of aging (such as receding hairline, baldness, earlobe creases, and fatty deposits around the eyes), had a 57% greater risk for a heart attack. They also had a 39% higher risk for heart disease.

Some of the signs of aging are caused by health problems. Bumps on the eyelids can be caused by a build up of cholesterol. Baldness in men can be caused by testosterone levels and heart disease.

Dr. Kathy Magilato, a heart surgeon at the St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, warns that doctors should be cognizant of their patients appearance. “We’re so rushed to put on a blood pressure cuff or put a stethoscope on the chest,” that the visible signs of heart disease are missed.

Source: USA Today