Living in very hot weather might cause aging to happen a year faster in adults aged 56 and above, according to a study by USC

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — According to a recent USC study, residing in neighborhoods with frequent extreme heat could accelerate aging by up to a year for individuals in a particular age group.

And we’re not just talking about the possibility of some additional wrinkles – this means internal, not just external aging.

Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths, so it’s no surprise it can cause incredible stress on our bodies.

The research revealed a strong link between a person’s biological age and the heat levels in their area, indicating that prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to accelerated aging beyond one’s chronological age.

The study observed more than 3,500 individuals aged 56 and above over multiple years to evaluate the impact of hot weather on their health.

USC Gerontology Professor Jennifer Ailshire, the senior author of this study, says with more extreme heat and climate change, they wanted to better understand heat’s impacts to help mitigate negative outcomes.

“As we age, we actually lose our ability to regulate that heat away from our body. Older adults even have different evaporation processes in terms of their skin, because we have skin changes as we as as well. So they’re a particularly vulnerable group,” she said.

The findings show people in this age group living in areas like Phoenix, or places where temperatures reach 80-90 degrees or hotter for a good portion of the year, could age up to 12-to-14 months faster than someone living in a cooler region.

Now this is modifiable. So the goal is that as we continue to see extreme heat, policy makers or architects keep heat mitigation and age-friendly features in mind as cities’ infrastructures continue to be updated over time.

Creating more shade by planting trees along sidewalks or at bus stops would be just one example of a step in the right direction.