Abstract
Healthy life expectancy, that is, years without disability or disease, does not match life expectancy. Aging itself is not a disease or disorder, and the aging process (biological, environmental and behavioural) may be modifiable. Certainly, many risk factors for age-related diseases are modifiable – if recognised at an early stage. Furthermore, aging, a heterogeneous concept, may be influenced by childhood events or lifelong factors. A better understanding of the mechanisms of aging processes, recognition of early biomarkers and solutions to improve quality of life and independent living will provide the end user (individual, clinician, society) with means to increase healthy life years, closing the gap between life span and healthy life span. Longitudinal studies on aging afford an opportunity to better understand mechanisms underpinning the aging process. These studies are multidimensional and as such afford an opportunity to explore many hypotheses underpinning the aging process, such as inflammation, genetic predisposition, childhood experiences, socioeconomic status, social engagement and the interactions between these factors. Demographic aging is a global phenomenon and informing and influencing policy and practice will vary enormously between different countries. In this symposium we will highlight new information on epigenetic factors which influence aging, the role of longitudinal studies for original research andpolicy and practice in developing nations and provide a case study of vascular senescence, implications for new technologies for blood pressure and heart rate measurement and impact of modifiable blood pressure behaviours on brain health and mobility.