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[1] The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has launched a five-year study to understand why Chinese people tend to have longer lifespans. The study aims to recruit 500 residents aged 90 or older. They will undergo biomarker analysis and will use advanced blood testing technologies.
[2] HKUST President Professor Nancy Ip Yuk-yu is leading the research. She said Hong Kong urgently needed to uncover the healthy ageing process. The city had become a “super-ageing society” in 2024 under UN standards. More than 20 per cent of the population is aged 65 or above. “Once we understand the biological basis behind healthy longevity, we will have the opportunity to provide personalised methods to help delay ageing or promote a long and healthy life,” she said.
[3] In 2024, the life expectancy of Hongkongers reached 84 years for men and 88 years for women. On a nationwide basis, China’s National Health Commission put the average lifespan at 79 years in 2024. Hong Kong also boasts the world’s highest population-specific probability of surviving to age 100. About 12.8 per cent of women and 4.4 per cent of men are expected to reach that age. The government estimates that by 2039, the elderly population will reach 2.52 million. This is 31 per cent of the total population.
[4] HKUST’s five-year study aims to recruit local elderly Chinese residents aged 90 or above who are willing to undergo fasting blood tests. “These biomarkers [in the blood samples] are essentially like health indicators for our bodies,” Ip said. “[They] reflect the conditions of various physiological processes and provide a very important scientific basis to help us understand how lifestyles and environmental factors of the elderly, such as their diet, can influence healthy ageing.”
[5] Participants will also undergo an assessment of their mental health, cognitive functions, lifestyles and more. They will receive a blood chemistry report, a cognitive assessment score and a referral to a public hospital if necessary.
[6] Professor Amy Fu Kit-yu is a research professor in the university’s life science division. She said that the effort to comprehensively study the blood-based biomarkers of healthy longevity was a first for Hong Kong. “Traditional longevity studies tell you how many hours of exercise you need, but that indeed depends on individual conditions – some are at a higher risk, while others are genetically longevous – we will consider these factors in the research,” she said. “With the help of an artificial intelligence [AI] model, we could provide customised advice to each individual ... based on the lifestyle of Hong Kong Chinese.”
[7] Dr Anna Wong Hui-yi is a research assistant professor in the same division. She added that most existing studies on longevity have sampled Western populations. They do not account for the genetic factors and lifestyle habits of Eastern populations. “This lack of holistic data has resulted in a significant absence of personalised, all-encompassing guidelines for healthy longevity,” Wong said.
Source: South China Morning Post, April 8
