Sure, athleticism is swell, but researchers at the University of Chicago have some new ideas about the best way to describe health and well-being. A University of Chicago news release reports that the new “comprehensive model†of health and aging considers factors such as psychological well-being, sensory function, mobility and health behaviors, all essential parts of an overall health profile that better predicts mortality. And yes, this is a sharp departure from the traditional biomedical model’s reliance on a checklist of infirmities centered on heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The study, a longitudinal survey of 3,000 people aged 57 to 85, is the first of its kind to collect this sort of information from a scientifically selected group of people, yielded comprehensive new data about the experience of aging in America. In addition to finding that age plays little or no role in determining differences in health, the research found that:
- Cancer itself is not related to other conditions that undermine health.
- Poor mental health, which afflicts one in eight older adults, undermines health in ways not previously recognized.
- Obesity seems to pose little risk to older adults with excellent physical and mental health.
- Sensory function and social participation play critical roles in sustaining or undermining health.
- Breaking a bone after age 45 is a major marker for future health issues.
- Older men and women have different patterns of health and well-being during aging.
- Mobility is one of the best markers of well-being.