WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study published in Nature Aging found that people living in traditional, non-industrialized societies have lower levels of chronic inflammation as they age, compared to people in modern, industrialized societies.
The study further explained that this type of long-term inflammation, known as 'inflammaging,' is usually seen as a natural part of aging and a warning sign for diseases like heart problems and diabetes.
'In industrialized settings, we see clear links between inflammaging and diseases like chronic kidney disease,' said lead author Alan Cohen.
'But in populations with high infection rates, inflammation appears more reflective of infectious disease burden than of aging itself.'
During the study, researchers looked at two indigenous groups-the Tsimane in the Bolivian Amazon and the Orang Asli in Malaysia. They then compared them with people from Italy and Singapore. They collected blood samples from around 2,800 people aged 18 to 95.
The results showed that chronic inflammation isn't just about getting older. In fact, in the non-industrialized groups, inflammation didn't seem to rise with age at all.
'These results point to an evolutionary mismatch between our immune systems and the environments we now live in,' Cohen explained. 'Inflammaging may not be a direct product of aging, but rather a response to industrialized conditions.'
'Factors like environment, lifestyle-such as high physical activity or a very low-fat diet-and infection may all influence how the immune system ages,' Cohen continued. 'Understanding how these elements interact could help develop more effective global health strategies.'
However, the experts stressed that more research is needed before making any big conclusions.
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