In recent years, younger people have shared photos online of their older relatives from back in the day and questioned, did past generations age faster? Why did 19-year-olds at Woodstock in 1969, for example, look a decade older than most 19-year-olds today? Or why did couples heading to their senior prom in 1988 look old enough for their 10-year reunion? Plenty of answers have surfaced — people smoked more in the past, didn’t use sunblock, and sometimes chose hairstyles or clothing that seemed more aged. But these photo swaps can be misleading. Although people might think younger Americans are aging more slowly, scientists have found younger generations are biologically aging faster, which can mean a greater risk for diseases.
Understanding Biological vs. Chronological Age Biological age is different from chronological age . Whereas chronological age is the number of years since our birth, biological age is based on the “accumulating damage, physiological changes, and loss of function” that our bodies endure over time.
Biological age can be accelerated by a number of known factors, such as smoking. Scientists have also identified how stress can increase biological age. Similarly, studies have found that pregnancy adds to a person’s biological age.
But getting pregnant or experiencing stress isn’t new or exclusive to the modern experience. So why are younger people experiencing accelerated aging now? Read More: Aging is Still One of Biology's Greatest Mysteries Ho.