You are as old as you feel

THE old adage "you're only as old as you feel" might really be true for millions of people.

A study published yesterday showed that people who feel older than their chronological age will experience a range of downsides. But people with a younger outlook on life do escape many of the physical problems associated with old age.

US sociologists compared people's chronological age and their subjective age to determine which one had a greater influence on mental ability and brain function in older adulthood.

Markus Schafer, who led the study at Purdue University in Indiana, said: "How old you are matters, but beyond that it's your interpretation that has far-reaching implications.

"So, if you feel old beyond your own chronological years you are probably going to experience a lot of the downsides that we associate with ageing."