British Bodies 4 Years Older than “Real Age” Due to Unhealthy Habits

A new analysis found that British people have bodies an average of 4 years older than their actual age. Their habits of smoking, over eating, and living a sedentary life are actually aging the population faster than normal. Specifically, they found that 86% of Britain’s citizens appear physically older than their age should really tell. And the same could likely be said for their counterparts in the US.

How you treat your body determines its health. If you don’t exercise and eat garbage, your body will reflect that. The recent study came from a private insurer, PruHealth with Vitality, as reported by the Daily Mail. They looked at habits like smoking, exercise, and diet, along with stress and income, and compared these things with health information. They found adults, on average, have bodies that are 4 years and 37 days older than actual age.

Analyzing information from 10,000 workers across the country, they were able to find some pretty interesting tidbits, including:

• Londoners are the slimmest, with 65% at a “healthy” weight
• Londoners also exercise most, with 45% getting the 2 hours and 30 minutes recommended each week
• Residents of Wales have the poorest body-age, an average of 5 years and 6 months older than their actual age
• The Welsh have high rates of smoking (55%) and low rates of exercise
• Those in the West Midlands have the worst diet

Longevity Secrets: 6 Reasons People Live to be Older than 100

• Residents from the North East have the best diets, with 74% eating an ideal mix of food groups and nutrients
• Health risks and unhealthy lifestyles were most common among lower-earners
• Those with the highest salaries had body ages almost 2 years younger than the poorest

“This map paints a fascinating picture of the health of the nation,” said Dr. Katie Tryon of the study. “It shows how people’s lifestyles are impacting their overall health and ultimately reducing their life expectancy. There is a clear picture of how each region is performing and where the hotspots are.”

There are take-aways from this study for Americans as well. Where you live and work can and does affect how you take care of your body. What’s available to you, what’s important to the culture around you, your income—these are all things that can have an effect on your health.

But whether you are on the West Coast or down South, or even if you are in England, you have the power to turn your health around.