Medical commentary: Today's adults look younger — but they're aging faster on the inside

I was wandering through a department store last week, dodging a “Christmas in July” sale, when the Muzak version of Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” drifted over the speakers. And it took me straight back to an actual December many years ago, in a bustling department store in Manhattan.

The holiday theme was “A Country Christmas,” and I needed directions. I spotted a woman dressed as Mrs. Claus standing in an elevator and asked her, “Excuse me, is this elevator going up?”

Without missing a beat, she smiled and rudely replied, “No, buddy — it’s going sideways.”

I couldn’t believe it.

But that moment taught me something I’ve carried into medicine ever since: appearances can be wildly misleading.

Turns out, that’s true of aging itself.

A recent UK study followed more than 150,000 people and found something surprising: many younger adults appear younger than previous generations did at the same age, yet biologically they’re aging faster. Using blood markers such as inflammation, blood sugar, and kidney and liver function, researchers built what’s essentially a biological clock. People born in more recent decades showed signs of accelerated biological aging — years before any of it becomes visible on the outside. That acceleration was associated with a higher risk of developing certain cancers before age 55, including colorectal, lung, and uterine cancers.

Why should you care? Because your biological age isn’t the number of candles on your birthday cake. It’s shaped by how you live.

Here’s the hopeful twist: Biological aging isn’t destiny. Sleep matters. So does a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and managing chronic stress. These aren’t miracle cures. They’re ordinary, daily choices that quietly shape the biology beneath the surface.

Maybe that department store soundtrack had it right. “It’s My Life” isn’t just the title of a song — it’s a reminder that, while we can’t stop the clock, we have more influence over how we age than we might think. Looking young is one thing. Living well — that’s how we put more life into our years.