Measuring human age by estimating lifetime caloric consumption.
BACKGROUND
This study was prompted by a desire to measure human age by a means other than chronological or biological age. The purpose of the study was to use the total lifetime caloric intake in men as an index of aging.


METHODS
The study was carried out by developing an algorithm to approximate the lifetime caloric intake. The total caloric intake is expressed such that one calorie-age year is defined as the total calories expended by an individual during his/her 20th year.


RESULTS
The results indicated that (1) the caloric intake of men progressively decreases with advancing age, that (2) the caloric-age is usually less than chronological age, and that (3) the caloric-age algorithm is a simple although crude method to assess lifetime caloric intake.


CONCLUSIONS
The most important conclusion is that a person can get a better appreciation of the importance of avoiding excess caloric intake if human age is measured in terms of lifetime caloric intake.
Gruber
R P
RP
Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., USA. rgruber@pacbell.net
Kalamas
A D
AD
D000366:Age Determination by Teeth; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000465:Algorithms; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D002149:Energy Intake; D006801:Humans