A new scientific study has found that frequent exposure to heatwaves, which are becoming more common due to climate change, may accelerate biological aging, especially among manual laborers.
اضافة اعلان
While previous research has mainly focused on the short-term health effects of heatwaves on older adults, this study explores the potential long-term consequences of heat exposure on health and the aging process.
Researchers analyzed data from 24,922 adults in Taiwan, with an average biological age of 46 years, to assess how heatwaves influence the pace of aging.
Accelerated aging was defined as the gap between biological age and chronological age. Biological age measures how well the body functions at the molecular and organ levels compared to a person’s actual age.
The risk of disease and mortality increases in individuals whose biological age exceeds their chronological age. By analyzing patient data from 2008 to 2022, researchers found that cumulative exposure to heatwaves was associated with accelerated biological aging.
Although signs of adaptation to heatwave conditions appeared among participants over the 15-year period, negative health effects persisted.
The results showed that manual workers, residents of rural areas, and communities with limited access to air conditioning were more vulnerable to the aging effects of heatwaves.
The study also revealed that people living in hotter regions for longer durations experienced greater biological aging on average, compared to those in cooler areas.
Researchers concluded:
“Analyzing data from 24,922 adults in Taiwan using mixed linear models confirms that heatwaves accelerate the aging process.”
The study calls for policies to reduce environmental disparities and enhance heatwave resilience, particularly among vulnerable populations.
Researchers also warned that the combination of high temperatures and humidity poses a particular risk to older adults, due to the natural decline in the body’s ability to regulate heat via sweating as people age.
