How Are Biomarkers Related to Physical and Mental Well-Being?

Christopher L. Seplaki, Princeton University
Yu-Hsuan Lin, Bureau of Health Promotion, Taiwan

Studies investigating the sources of increasing longevity require extensive demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and health information. However, much of the existing empirical literature examining the determinants of aging and longevity is limited by the absence of biological markers of health, or the use of small or otherwise nonrepresentative samples. This analysis investigates the associations between self-reported measurements of physical and mental health and biomarkers of aging using a large, population-based sample of older Taiwanese. Data are from the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS) conducted in 2000, and combine rich biological measures with a wealth of social information and self-reports of physical and mental well-being. Results indicate significant associations between the biomarkers and profiles of health. Although this cross-sectional investigation does not attempt to establish any causal relationships between health trajectories and biomarker measurements, it is likely to provide new insights about such pathways.