8 Heart-Healthy Habits That Could Help Decelerate Biological Aging

Certain lifestyle habits such as maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough physical activity may slow the process of biological aging, a new study found.

The research, published in May in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that people who prioritized eight heart-healthy behaviors had a lower risk of heart disease and all-cause mortality. These benefits were even greater for people predisposed to faster biological aging.

A person's biological age refers to the state and health of their body, rather than how long they’ve been alive.

Someone whose biological age is higher than their chronological age is experiencing a process known as accelerated aging, and they may be more likely to develop certain health conditions, including cardiovascular issues. Accelerated aging can be influenced by social determinants—such as access to healthcare—but genetic factors also play a role.

However, even though people experiencing accelerated aging are more likely to see negative heart health outcomes, the new research found simple lifestyle changes can help mitigate this risk.

“Regardless of the biological aging status, people should be mindful of [certain healthy habits]—eat better, be more active, quit tobacco, get healthy sleep, manage weight, control cholesterol, control blood sugar, and control blood pressure,” Jiantao Ma, PhD, senior study author and assistant professor at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, told Health. “[These] are key for reducing disease burden.”

Here’s what experts had to say about accelerated aging, cardiovascular health, and the new research, plus simple steps you can take to keep your heart healthy.

For the new research, Ma and his team analyzed data from more than 5,600 participants enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study, which has been collecting data since 1948; the average age of the participants was 56 years.

First, the study authors determined which of the participants were more genetically predisposed to accelerated aging. To do this, they looked at genetic variants associated with DNA methylation, a process in the body that regulates how different genes are expressed.

“DNA methylation describes a chemical mark that can be added or removed from the DNA, which allows individuals to adapt to their surroundings as needed,” Shannon Gillespie, PhD, RN, assistant professor of nursing and clinical and translational immunobiologist at The Ohio State University College of Nursing, told Health.

These chemical marks on our genetic code “can affect which genes are turned on or off, and can therefore shape our health over time,” Gillespie added, providing researchers clues about a person’s biological age.

In addition to each participant’s risk of accelerated aging, the researchers also looked at their lifestyle habits. Ma and his team used a tool from the American Heart Association (AHA) called Life’s Essential 8, by which doctors can give someone a health score ranging from zero to 100. To assess people using Life’s Essential 8, researchers use a mix of interviews, laboratory tests, and physical exams, analyzing the following eight components:

The study participants were tracked for 11 to 14 years, and researchers documented any incidence of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular death, or death from any cause.

They found that for every 13-point increase in a person’s Life’s Essential 8 score, the risk of cardiovascular disease dropped 35%, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease dropped 36%, and the risk of death from any cause dropped 29%.

Among people who were genetically predisposed to accelerated aging, these reductions were even more significant: People in this group saw their risk of both cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease drop by 39%, and their risk of death from all causes drop by 78%.

This finding supports the idea that lifestyle factors could affect a person's biological age and, by extension, their risk of cardiovascular disease and death, Ma explained.

The study’s findings are intriguing, but Ma said there are still some limitations in its application.

For one, most of the participants were of “predominantly European ancestry,” the study authors wrote, meaning their findings may not be universally generalizable.

Also, this research suggests that people going through accelerated aging would see even greater health benefits from living a more heart-healthy lifestyle. However, for now, there’s no way for people to determine their genetic risk for accelerated aging on their own: “We don’t have any recommendations for the public [on] how they can get this information,” Ma said.

Despite this, Ma and other researchers around the world are learning more about how accelerated aging affects heart disease.

“There is a lot of interest in biological aging and its link to longevity, and scientists are looking at our genes and changes to our genes due to unhealthy lifestyles,” Nieca Goldberg, MD, cardiologist and clinical associate professor of medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told Health.

The new study ties into previous work suggesting that “cell aging makes someone prone to heart disease and other cardiometabolic disease,” said Goldberg. “It ages blood vessels, predisposing them to the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, causing metabolic changes.”

Though more research is needed, the new report highlights the importance of adhering to the healthy habits outlined in the Life’s Essential 8 program, Tamara Horwich, MD, cardiologist and health sciences clinical professor of medicine and cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told Health.

“All eight of the lifestyle factors in this study work together to reduce cardiovascular risk, particularly in those with worse epigenetic aging scores,” Horwich said. But even those who aren’t genetically predisposed to accelerated aging should prioritize Life’s Essential 8, experts agreed.

In order to boost your Life’s Essential 8 score, the AHA recommends prioritizing a nutritious diet, getting enough movement and sleep, avoiding tobacco, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

It’s also important to speak with your doctor about your Life’s Essential 8 score to learn more about how to reduce your risk for cardiovascular issues, experts said.