Key points from article :
A study published in Nature Human Behaviour highlights the crucial role of mental wellbeing in promoting healthy ageing, regardless of socioeconomic status. Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine used Mendelian randomization, a technique that leverages genetic data to establish causality rather than mere correlation, analyzing information from over 2.3 million Europeans.
They discovered that individuals with higher mental wellbeing showed greater resilience, better self-rated health, longer healthspans, and extended parental lifespans. Lifestyle choices such as regular physical activity, avoiding smoking, and consuming cheese and fruit were found to be beneficial for mental wellbeing and, consequently, for healthy ageing.
The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase evaluated the causal relationships between mental wellbeing traits (overall wellbeing, life satisfaction, positive affect, neuroticism, and depressive symptoms) and various ageing phenotypes, including resilience, healthspan, and longevity. The second phase investigated mediating factors like diet, physical activity, cognitive performance, and disease status.
Importantly, the positive effects of mental wellbeing on ageing were significant even after adjusting for socioeconomic factors such as income, education, and occupation. This suggests that mental wellbeing independently influences healthy ageing. The researchers concluded that enhancing mental health through lifestyle interventions could improve ageing outcomes and reduce disparities in healthy ageing.
