Why do some people look older than they should?
BACKGROUND
As a component of studies on biological age, the age of subjects from their appearance (perceived age) was estimated.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the factors associated with looking older.


METHODS
Cross sectional study of London civil servants (318 men, 129 women) in the Department of the Environment study. Perceived age was recorded by an observer and the difference between this age and chronological age was analysed according to 20 different variables.


RESULTS
Men had an average perceived age of 0.37 years older than their actual age and women a perceived age of 0.54 years younger. In men, looking older was related to greying of the hair, grade of arcus senilis, and grade of baldness. Less expected, looking older was positively related to total serum cholesterol (p=0.03) and blood haemoglobin (p<0.01). In women, looking older was related to greying of the hair, positively to blood erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and negatively to serum bilirubin (p=0.01). Looking older was not related to alcohol consumption, employment grade, serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, albumin, and calcium in either sex.


CONCLUSIONS
The relationships between looking older and total cholesterol and haemoglobin in men and ESR and bilirubin in women, require further investigation.
Bulpitt
C J
CJ
Section of Care of the Elderly, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK. c.bulpitt@ic.ac.uk
Markowe
H L
HL
Shipley
M J
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D000505:Alopecia / Q000473:pathology; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019066:Facies; D005260:Female; D006200:Hair Color; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D006454:Hemoglobins; D002784:Cholesterol; D001663:Bilirubin