"Just as Harmful as Smoking or Heavy Drinking: Prolonged Exposure to This Accelerates Aging"

"Extreme Heat, Not Just a Climate Phenomenon,
But a Major Risk Factor for Chronic Diseases"

A study has found that frequent exposure to extreme heat can accelerate biological aging to a degree comparable to smoking or heavy drinking, beyond simply causing dehydration.

Recently, researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) announced that people living in regions where temperatures exceed 32 degrees Celsius for more than half the year experience biological aging up to 14 months faster than those living in areas where such heat occurs less than 10 days per year.

The research team analyzed the correlation between biological age and frequency of heat waves among approximately 3,600 older adults across the United States from 2010 to 2016. The average age of participants was 68. Unlike chronological age, biological age reflects the condition of body functions at the cellular or tissue level and is closely linked to the risk of disease and mortality. These results remained significant even after adjusting for variables such as age, income, and health habits. The findings were published in the scientific journal Science Advances.

When the human body is exposed to high temperatures, the heart beats faster to send more blood to the skin in order to lower body temperature. The nervous system can become overstimulated, leading to dizziness, confusion, and memory impairment. The kidneys, in an effort to conserve fluids, face an increased risk of dehydration and other damage. The immune system may also overproduce inflammatory substances, triggering responses similar to those caused by infections. While these reactions protect the body from heat in the short term, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can actually be harmful.

Experts advise minimizing heat stress by staying indoors with air conditioning and avoiding outdoor activities as much as possible between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when sunlight is strongest. If going outside is necessary, they recommend actively seeking shade and maintaining proper hydration. Government-level support is also needed. Creating parks or green spaces can help mitigate the urban heat island effect, and measures such as installing shade structures and misting devices at bus stops can lower the perceived temperature.

Choi Eunyoung, a gerontology expert at USC, explained, "The impact of prolonged exposure to extreme heat puts a physical burden on the body similar to that of smoking or drinking alcohol. We should recognize extreme heat not just as a climate phenomenon but as a major risk factor for chronic diseases."