A brilliant study from Harvard University last week revealed eight surprising factors that increase the risk of early death – such as living in an unclean neighborhood, being estranged from children or disrespecting.
Now, for the first time, the authors behind the paper have developed a calculator that takes these new risk factors into account to give users a percentage risk of dying over the next four years.
Designed for people 65+, it asks users for their age and gender before asking them about eight social factors that measure whether they feel isolated and what type of neighborhood they live in.
It then uses this to estimate the risk of death from any cause. The tool does not describe exactly what patients are most likely to die from, but loneliness, pollution and a lack of social connections can lead to chronic stress and a lack of mental stimulation – leading to increases in dementia, heart disease and other chronic diseases .
DR Sachin Shah, a resident at Massachusetts General Hospital and a member of Harvard Medical School, designed the tool, called the Social Frailty Index.
He told DailyMail.com that the calculator was designed for people aged 65 and over because “it is not possible to extrapolate accurately to people under the age of 65”.
“We often emphasize the importance of illness when we think of longevity. [But] This research shows that our social life is just as important as medical conditions.’
The 10-question calculator was developed based on a study published earlier this month in the scientific journal PNAS.
In the paper, scientists recruited more than 8,000 adults over the age of 65 and surveyed them about social factors. They were then observed for four years, during which time 1,760 (22 percent) died.
Analysis uncovered eight social factors that the scientists say predict a person’s risk of premature death.
These were: how often they saw their children and grandchildren, whether they volunteered, how often they felt isolated, whether they lived in a clean neighborhood, whether they had control over their finances, how often they were less polite to others were and felt respectable and respectful. whether you had paid work at the time.
The scientists said that most research on fatal risks has ignored social factors. So they wanted to develop a tool to measure them – which they thought could be used in a clinical setting.
DailyMail.com tested the calculator. We found that 70-year-old men who lived in a clean neighborhood and were active in the community had a 7 percent risk of dying over the next four years. But for those living in poor neighborhoods and socially isolated, the risk was 67 percent.
In women of the same age who, for various reasons, are less likely to develop chronic diseases, their risk increased from about two percent to 54 percent each.
For years, scientists assumed that loneliness – the rare time together with family and friends – was as big a health risk as obesity or smoking.
When someone is lonely, it triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response. This leads to an increase in stress hormones and inflammation levels.
It’s not dangerous in the short term, but if someone is often lonely, the constant inflammation can weaken the immune system and raise blood pressure.
This, in turn, increases the risk of a variety of health problems, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s and obesity.
A 2015 meta-analysis involving more than three million people found that those who were lonely were 26 to 32 percent more likely to die prematurely than others. Another Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) article, published in 2020, found that lonely people were 50 percent more likely to develop dementia.
There are downsides to the decision to retire, according to scientists.
Retirement leads to a change in activity patterns – such as B. the elimination of commuting – to put people at greater risk of obesity and less challenging mental activities.
Above are the eight factors that scientists say can predict shorter lifespans. These were loneliness (1), living in an area with dirty streets (2), little control over one’s finances (3), seeing children less than once a year (4), not working for pay (5 ), avoiding children (6), not volunteering (7), and being treated less politely or respectfully (8)
Life expectancy at birth for both sexes is 76.4 years in 2021 – the lowest level since 1996 when it was 76.1 years. Between 2021 and 2020, life expectancy for men fell more than that for women: life expectancy for men by 0.7 years and for women by 0.6 years
In 2021, a total of 3,464,231 deaths were recorded in the United States. The top 10 causes of death accounted for 74.5 percent of all US deaths by 2021. Accidental injuries include drug overdose
A number of studies have shown that those who retire at 62, the minimum retirement age, tend not to live as long as those who stay in the workforce for many years.
It can also make a person less able to afford adequate health care or a balanced diet, scientists warn, especially for those with less retirement savings.
All people over the age of 65 in the United States are eligible for Medicare, but must continue to contribute to insurance through deductibles, premiums, and deductibles. For many, the cost comes despite decades of insurance payments.
Men in the US are projected to live an average of 74 years and six months, while women have a life expectancy nearly six years higher than 80 years and two months.
It is common knowledge that women live longer than men due to differences in hormones, immune systems and less likely to avoid doctors.
Why drinking tea can actually help you live longer: learn
A study of half a million people in the UK found that those who consumed two or more cups a day were up to 13 per cent less likely to die.
But the scientists suggested that despite these differences, a socially active man will live longer than an isolated woman of the same age.
The Social Frailty Index, published earlier this month in the journal PNAS, was developed by researchers from Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of California, San Francisco.
To develop the scale, scientists surveyed more than 8,000 people over the age of 65 about 183 social characteristics.
They returned four years later and found that 1,760 participants (22 percent) had died.
An analysis was then carried out to identify the eight factors most likely to predict an individual’s risk of dying in those four years, which were then included in the Social Frailty Index.
The eight factors that increase the risk of premature death include living in a dirty environment, seeing children less than once a year and not being involved in the community through activities such as volunteering (listed below) .
Dr. Shah, who led the investigation, said: “
The vulnerability index comes after life expectancy in the US fell to its lowest level since 1996 amid the fentanyl epidemic and the Covid hangover.
Overall, adults born in 2021 are expected to live just 76 years and five months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It was the second year in a row that life expectancy in the US fell from a peak of 78 years and 10 months in 2014. It is now at its lowest since 1996 when it was 76 years and one month.
Scientists have blamed the Covid crisis for the drop, leading to the biggest annual drop in the estimate since World War II.
But even as Covid has eased, non-Covid deaths have soared higher this year due to delayed hospital care, lockdowns and other restrictions causing people to avoid health care.
Policymakers are tasked with finding ways to return estimated life expectancy in America to its previous steady increase.
Source link
Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
