Seeking ways for Singaporeans to age more healthily

Eternal youth might be a pipe dream, but having healthier bodies as one ages is a reality that the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme hopes to make possible for people.

- Salma Khalik

Its mission is to add healthy years of life by delaying ageing, as well as having people stay free of disease for as long as possible, so they are able to lead physically adept and socially active lives.

It is an ambitious project involving about 45 NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine faculty members. They are leading or participating in many associated projects that look at different aspects of ageing, with the aim of slowing its progression.

The programme, headed by Distinguished Professor Brian Kennedy, who was trained in biochemistry, mathematics and biology, was launched in 2022. Prof Kennedy said they hope to accomplish this goal "through developing biomarkers to measure ageing, testing interventions to slow ageing, and creating implementation strategies to extend healthy life expectancy in Singapore".

The programme has developed an algorithm to calculate people's biological clock, which could be different from their years of life and indicates their mortality risk. Prof Kennedy said Singaporean Chinese, in general, have a biological age that is three to four years younger than their chronological age.

But while Singaporeans today have a life expectancy of 83.5 years, they will spend an average of 10 years in relatively poor health.