Blood Pressure and Arterial Wall Mechanics in Cardiovascular Diseases by Michel E. Safar Michael F. O'Rourke & Edward D. Frohlich

Author:Michel E. Safar, Michael F. O'Rourke & Edward D. Frohlich
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer London, London

Aging and the Concept and Perception of Middle Age

The manner in which middle age is perceived in the community varies with both gender and age. Women perceive middle age onset to be older than that perceived by men, and younger people perceive middle age onset to be younger than that perceived by older people [6]. Everyone, on average, perceives the onset of middle age for men to be younger than the onset of middle age for women [6].

Statistically, we enter the middle third of our life in the mid to late 20s, and finish that third of life in the early to mid 50s. This varies between males and females, between regions and with economic status, depending on life expectancy. This variation aside, the statistical middle age or middle third of life is between 25 and 55 years of age. The perceptions of middle age are generally higher than the statistical measurements. In a 1976 study, the average perceived onset of middle age was around 37 years of age, and the onset of old age perceived to be around 62 years of age [6].

This perception of middle age would most likely influence design and analysis of studies concerning middle age. In a survey of publications listed on PubMed under the search terms “middle age” and “blood pressure”, or “midlife” and “blood pressure” in the article title, the upper and lower limits of the “middle age” or “midlife” range was 41 ± 6–7 ± 8 years (Table 23.1). Both the upper and lower limits in studies are markedly higher than that defined by a statistical definition of the middle third of life. The age range also varied greatly between studies, with the lower limit varying between 30 and 47 years, and the upper limit 45–68 years. (It is also plausible that the perception and limits of middle age within a study are influenced by the age of the study’s author!). It raises the question: what are the factors that determine the definition of middle age, if it is not upon a strict statistical analysis of life expectancy?Table 23.1Upper and lower limits of “middle age” from blood pressure studies

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