Comprehensive Analysis of Large Sets of Age-Related Physiological Indicators Reveals Rapid Aging around the Age of 55 Years

Background: While many studies show a correlation between chronological age and physiological indicators, the nature of this correlation is not fully understood. Objective: To perform a comprehensive analysis of the correlation between chronological age and age-related physiological indicators. Method: Physiological aging scores were deduced using principal component analysis from a large dataset of 1,227 variables measured in a cohort of 4,796 human subjects, and the correlation between the physiological aging scores and chronological age was assessed. Results: Physiological age does not progress linearly or exponentially with chronological age: a more rapid physiological change is observed around the age of 55 years, followed by a mild decline until around the age of 70 years. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that the progression of physiological age is not linear with that of chronological age, and that periods of mild change in physiological age are separated by periods of more rapid aging. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel