A new long-term study followed over 2,000 older adults to understand how their overall health and abilities, called Intrinsic Capacity (IC), change as they age.
What the scientists found:
(1) Most older adults (75%) slowly lost some physical and mental abilities over time
(2) A small group (13%) stayed strong and healthy with only a little decline
(3) Some (11%) had a fast drop in their health and abilities
Who’s at higher risk of fast decline?
(1) People 75 and older
(2) Women
(3) Those living alone or without a partner
What helped people stay healthier longer?
(1) Finishing high school or more
(2) Eating more fruits and veggies
(3) Having a small but close group of friends or family
Bottom line:
Want to age well? Eat healthy, stay connected, and keep learning! Let’s also support older women and those living alone.
Source: Li Y, Zhang T, Li M, Shen R, Wang X, Zhuo C, et al. Trajectories of intrinsic capacity decline and related factors in old persons: A 15-year community-based cohort study in Beijing. J Nutrition Health Aging. (2025) 29:100526.