The war in Ukraine has accelerated the biological aging of the population: many Ukrainians have a biological age that is 5–15 years higher than their passport age. This is stated in a study by Ukrainian scientists, which was reported by TSN on May 2.
Specialists from the Institute of Gerontology named after D. F. Chebotarev of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine explain that chronic stress, constant shelling, anxiety, lack of sleep and difficult living conditions trigger the processes of premature aging of the body.
Director of the institute Boris Mankovsky noted that biological age is determined by the state of the cardiovascular, respiratory and endocrine systems and can differ significantly from the calendar age. According to him, Ukraine is now facing a sharp increase in premature aging of the population, which could lead to a reduction in life expectancy.
The head of the department of neurocognitive diseases, Elena Tavozhnyanskaya, notes that stress due to the war hits the population hard, resulting in functional disorders.
Doctors warn that chronic stress increases the risk of depression, psychosomatic disorders, dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In addition, doctors are recording a “rejuvenation” of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases – they are increasingly being diagnosed in people aged about 20 years.
Research has also shown that the most vulnerable group are young and middle-aged women who are simultaneously responsible for children and elderly relatives. The military also revealed serious health problems.
Experts advise regularly checking your blood pressure and glucose levels, monitoring your weight, giving up bad habits, moving more and paying attention to quality sleep, which helps the body recover.
