Current and past situations and behaviors can affect longevity

As we gradually add more candles to our birthday cake each year, we are reminded that time is passing. However, researchers at Purdue are looking into how the choices and behaviors you make now will affect how long you live.

Ken Ferraro, a distinguished professor of sociology and director of the Center on Aging and the Life Course, grew up in a multi-generational household and took care of his grandfather, who contributed to his interest in aging.

I thought aging would be something that captured my interests and I could build from my own experiences and its something that is important in our society, Ferraro said.

Aging is a biological, psychological and social process, one that isnt entirely within our sphere of influence. A persons physiological state begins to develop as early as the fetal stage of life. If the mother of a child suffers severe stress, that gets passed onto her child and the child enters the world with a different physiological state.

While the environment were born into isnt something we can change, people do have the capacity to change many aspects of their current environment. Bad habits such as smoking and heavy drinking can take a toll on the duration of a life.

Early childhood experiences can also impact well-being on different levels. Something as simple as a sunburn now could manifest into a more serious issue later. Psychologically, if a child has been bullied in the past, that frequent state of arousal could lead to decreased health and behavioral issues that could affect longevity. Extreme levels of stress can depress the immune system, which makes a person more susceptible to diseases.

While no key has been identified to unlock the mystery of why some people live longer than others, people can maximize their time on earth by making good choices now. Most people who live into their 80s, 90s and beyond exercised a lot, found a comfortable routine in their life and ate well. Treating yourself and your body right is a way to get the most out of the genetic cards youd been dealt, Ferraro said. However, ones outlook on life is also a factor.

Positive and negative thought patterns can affect your physiology, said Elliot Friedman, an assistant professor of human development and family studies.

Friedman said there are two main factors that outweigh other factors typically considered detrimental to a persons health, like obesity and smoking. Having a sense of purpose and strong social ties increase your chances of survival.

In a fairly recent meta-analysis on social relationships and mortality, individuals with adequate social relationships have a 50 percent greater likelihood of survival.

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Current and past situations and behaviors can affect longevity