New evidence shows a troubling relationship between increasing temperatures and premature aging. Yet this connection places enormous health burdens on those who call these polluted neighborhoods home. Those are the findings of a new 2023 German study that provides some evidence. These findings indicate that increasing air temperatures may accelerate biological aging, with particular vulnerability among women and those with prior health conditions.
Yet as this research reveals, it’s underrepresented survivors like Kalpana Suryawanshi, 48, and Rajma Jamadar, 47, whose stories leave a lasting impact. As they deal with ongoing hardships, extreme heat only adds to those burdens. As climate change increases temperatures, their health becomes compromised, prompting concerns over the effects of climate change on public health at large.
The Personal Toll of Extreme Heat
Kalpana Suryawanshi, reflecting on her situation, gazes into the mirror. “I just look older than my age,” she says, a sentiment shared by others who are feeling the acute physical effects of increasing heat. She lives in a rural village where it is common for summer temperatures to exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The intense heat often makes her dizzy and weak.
Suryawanshi has spent more than 600,000 Indian rupees ($7,046) on his medical treatment. He can’t afford to stay ahead of the inflation. “I can’t afford any more expenses, so I’ve stopped taking some medicines,” she admits. Her experience highlights the brutal truths that precarious communities have to go through. They barely keep their heads above water in the face of escalating health crises and fiscal pressures.
Rajma Jamadar shares a similar story. As a cook for 175 children at a public school, she has curtailed her outdoor activities amid the extreme heat. Eight years ago, Jamadar developed Type 2 diabetes. Desperate to get the best treatment possible, she sought out treatment at eight hospitals over the last two years. As a result, her health has worsened still, as she developed high blood pressure and now requires medication in order to live.
“It’s a miracle that I survived. Despite being only 48, I have no strength left, but I still have to work.” – Kalpana Suryawanshi
Scientific Insights into Aging and Temperature
The German research, led by Wenli Ni, digs deep into the biological mechanisms that are influenced by heat exposure. Conducting research on mice, researchers determined that increased air temperatures contribute to more rapid aging at a cellular level. Our results show that a 1°C increase in average temperature across 180 days accelerates biological age to a great degree. For the most conservative estimates, this acceleration is only 0.04—0.08 years.
These results present especially troubling implications for women, and people with obesity or Type 2 diabetes. They found a much more robust connection between air temperature and accelerated aging. Ni’s study shows that heat exposure can cause changes in DNA methylation, a process that modifies gene expression and cellular activity.
As the new study shows, the impacts of temperature on aging result in harmful health outcomes. Epigenetic age acceleration has been associated with adverse health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and all-cause mortality. Such implications underscore the immediate need to combat increasing temperatures and their adverse effects on public health.
The Broader Implications of Climate Change
The impacts of climate change go beyond the personal health battle. They’re presenting a public health crisis. Bilinda Straight, a prominent researcher in this area, illustrates the complex connection. She notes that extreme heat exacerbates physiological stressors and increases anxiety over essential needs, like food security.
“Those physiological stressors were accompanied by worry about the next meal, for themselves, their children, and loved ones,” Straight explains. Revealing our multifactorial threat, it shows how stress created by climate change can make homeostasis—our body’s state of balance—go awry.
“Slowing down epigenetic age acceleration is going to be tied to increasing food security and identifying alternatives to women engaging in high-risk occupational labor,” she states. Her powerful perspectives highlight the need for integrated policy solutions that tackle the dual crises of climate change and its public health impacts.
