Biodemography of aging looks at the biological, statistical and social factors of human populations, such as age, income, social integration and background as well as data on health and longevity. The goal is to better understand and forecast the human lifespan, and to improve understanding of why all species live as long as they do.
Deeper dive
This field explores fundamental questions such as whether there are limits to lifespan and healthspan and what may affect the variability of these outcomes. The two major strands of research in this exploding field are mathematical modeling and genetic evolutionary demography, according to the Center on the Economics and Demography of Aging at UC Berkeley.
A 2020 study by Eileen Crimmins, Ph.D., professor and chair in gerontology at the USC Leonard David School of Gerontology, found that social hallmarks of aging may play an even greater role in lifespan and healthspan than biological markers of aging.
Low socioeconomic status, childhood adversity, minority status, adverse behaviors like smoking, and poor mental health were strongly associated with cognitive issues, multiple chronic diseases and general difficulty in daily living.
However, biology does play a role in health and aging as well, Crimmins concluded. A fuller grasp of the basic biological mechanisms of aging would explain the social variability in the process since social factors influence the biological factors.
“Studies on the comparative biodemography of aging can advance our understanding of the link between the social environment, population-level demographic outcomes, and the evolution of aging in humans,” according to a review of current challenges of the role of the social environment in human life.
While the aging process has slowed — particularly in high-income nations —thanks to improvements in public health, access to education, socioeconomic mobility, and lifestyle changes, persistent health inequities still exist. Researching this variability and integrating social factors can lead towards a fuller understanding of the evolutionary roots of health and aging and in how to address these challenges.