Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have found that adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors, including regular exercise and a balanced diet, may help slow key aspects of the aging process.
The findings, published in the latest issue of The Journals of Gerontology, stem from the U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER), a large-scale clinical trial investigating the impact of lifestyle interventions on cognitive health.
The study involved more than 2,100 adults aged 60–79 who were at increased risk of cognitive decline. Participants were randomly assigned either to a structured lifestyle program—including coaching, goal setting, healthy eating, physical activity, and cognitively stimulating social engagement—or to a self-guided health program.
After two years, participants in the structured intervention showed greater improvements in frailty scores, a widely used indicator of biological aging associated with chronic disease, disability, and mortality risk. The same group also demonstrated stronger gains in cognitive performance.
According to lead author Mark A. Espeland, the findings suggest that healthy aging may be enhanced not only by adopting beneficial habits but also through structured programs that provide guidance and accountability.
The researchers note that improvements in frailty alone did not fully explain the cognitive benefits observed, indicating that multiple biological pathways may contribute to healthier aging. The results add to growing evidence that addressing several aspects of health simultaneously may be more effective than focusing on a single lifestyle behavior.
https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glag094
About the Journal
The Journals of Gerontology® were the first journals on aging published in the United States. The tradition of excellence in these peer-reviewed scientific journals, established in 1946, continues today. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A® is a monthly journal of The Gerontological Society of America that publishes within its covers the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences and the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.
About Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Wake Forest University School of Medicine is the academic core of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health and a recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research. It directs the education of nearly 1,900 students and fellows, including physicians, basic scientists and allied clinical professionals. The school of medicine also strategically investigates opportunities that will expand basic and clinical research, resulting in nationally and internationally recognized excellence in biomedical research. The school has two campuses, each co-located with leading-edge innovation districts, The Pearl, in Charlotte, and Innovation Quarter, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. These affiliated life-sciences innovation districts focus on advancing health care through new medical technologies and biomedical discovery.
