Lifestyle changes

During his health examination at the longevity clinic, Zhu was found to have coronary issues and received targeted treatment. The clinic also provided him with lifestyle guidance.

He said he appreciated that when he failed to stick to the plan, his doctor adjusted it to make it more achievable.

Coming from Northern China, where people's diets usually consist mainly of meats and heavy flavors, Zhu said adjusting what he ate meant breaking lifelong eating habits, which was a challenge.

"The nutritionist adjusted the plan according to my actual situation, achieving a balance between my diet and my habits, and changing step by step," he said.

Yan said the longevity clinic provides personalized management for patients, with its team offering comprehensive guidance and supervision on nutrition, exercise, and sleep.

"The team creates WeChat groups for real-time responses, detailing what to do if a particular exercise is not feasible, and how to choose dishes when dining at restaurants," she said.

For example, they recommend that patients who are busy with work and have little or no time to exercise, move at every opportunity available. They can walk during office breaks and use resistance bands to exercise during phone meetings.

In June, Parkway Shanghai Hospital established the silver age health center to provide multidimensional assessments for patients. Their aim is to identify potential health risks early, implement full-cycle management, address current issues and plan health strategies for the next three years or more.

The center's doctors also emphasize gradual lifestyle interventions.

"We don't force a one-time change in habits, but guide patients step by step through positive feedback from improvements in health indicators," said Wu Yihua, director of the center.

"Patients usually rely on smart wearable devices and doctor supervision initially, but when they see improvements in weight, blood lipids, and blood sugar during follow-up visits, most can actively develop healthy lifestyle habits, improving adherence to healthy eating and exercise," she said.

Wu cited the recent case of a patient nearly 70 years old. The patient, who frequently attended social engagements, had four poor health indicator readings. He had previously received general medical advice from several hospitals with unsatisfactory results and was unwilling to implement lifestyle changes.

The center adopted a step-by-step approach for him, gradually reducing his smoking and alcohol intake, combined with exercise and medication management. The patient lost about 15 kilograms in six months, achieved normal blood lipid levels, and reduced the status of his fatty liver from severe to the mild to moderate range. The patient was greatly encouraged by the improvements.

Unlike traditional geriatric clinics, which focus on intervention after a disease is diagnosed, Parkway Shanghai said its center emphasizes proactive measures and disease prevention.

"So far, most visits are still driven by the appearance of symptoms of discomfort or minor issues found during physical examinations. We hope that as public awareness of preventive healthcare increases, more elderly people over 65 will prioritize proactive health and prevent chronic diseases early," Wu said.

Developing discipline

Since 2023, longevity medicine has grown as a serious medical field around the globe, while the discipline of anti-aging is entering a rapid development phase, according to experts.

A paper published early last year in The Gerontologist, a Gerontological Society of America journal, identified 14 clinically applicable biomarkers of aging, which were recognized by 60 experts from around the world. Some of these indicators are simple physical examination metrics, such as blood pressure, grip strength, and walking speed, which can be quickly integrated into clinical practice.

In 2024, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, based in Changsha, Hunan province, developed its own system to determine patients' biological age rather than relying on superficial signs like wrinkles or gray hair.

The hospital compiled years of health examination data of patients, extracting over 140 blood test results and combining them with imaging data, such as ultrasound, electrocardiograph and CT scans, to train an AI model known as "the aging clock".

Now, after a visitor undergoes a health check at the clinic, the AI model can quickly compare their monitoring data, and estimate their biological age.

If the model could incorporate multi-dimensional data, including DNA methylation, telomere length, and genetic testing, the hospital said it would be able to establish a more accurate aging assessment system.

Experts noted that while the anti-aging discipline is developing rapidly, it is still in an exploratory phase, and efforts are currently underway to establish clinical diagnostic standards that can be extended nationwide.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn