Why did people in the past look older?

[Alfred001]

I'm putting this in the biology forum because, if this is a legitimate phenomenon, I imagine the explanation would have something to do with epigenetics.

Now, this is not a scientific observation, but an anecdotal one, however it's one I've heard a number of people make - people in old photos looked older than modern day people do. That is to say, 18-20 year olds of the 1950s and earlier looked way older than 18-20 year olds of today. Again, I don't know whether this is simply an illusion due to cherrypicking of anecdotal evidence or a legitimate phenomenon, but I've heard a number of people make this observation.

Now, I'm sure science hasn't studied this and therefore doesn't have an answer for this, but let's presume that the observation is true to begin with, is there some plausible mechanism, genetic, epigentic or otherwise, that could explain this?

[Phi for All]

I'm sure science HAS studied this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5897168/

Quote

Results suggest that biological age is lower for more recent periods; however, the degree of improvement varied across age and sex groups. Overall, older adults experienced the greatest improvement or decreases in biological age. Males, especially those in the youngest and oldest groups, experienced greater declines in biological age than females. These differences were partially explained by age- and sex-specific changes in behaviors, such as smoking, obesity, and medication use. Slowing the pace of aging, along with increasing life expectancy, has important social and economic implications; thus, identifying modifiable risk factors that contribute to cohort differences in health and aging is essential.

Although this paper doesn't go back to the 1950s, I think it supports your idea.

[TheVat]

I've seen research that says the great decline in smoking rates (and secondhand smoke exposure) has been a large factor in this.  Smoking is the most clearly demonstrated accelerant of the aging process (and its effect on capillary circulation in the face makes its effect on appearance of age especially noticeable).   As my parents used to point out, pretty much everyone smoked at social gatherings when they were young.  Now it's more like a small fraction that will step outside for a cigarette break.  

At the 18-20 YO end of the scale, however, there may be other factors in play.  Endocrine disruptors may be affecting maturation, and not in a way that would enhance health at later stages of life.  This is an area where research is only beginning.  

 

[CharonY]

There are also other factors and especially around the 19th century, industrialization and urbanization placed a high toll on public health. I do not recall the paper off the top of my head, but not only smoking, but air quality in general was horrible (might be as bad as smoking, if one ran the numbers), before legislation was introduced to improve it. On separately, there is a large body of literature out there that links harmful exposures to effects such as high oxidative stress and tissue damage, which will also affect outward appearances (e.g. skin).

[swansont]

Plus food quality; Deborah Blum’s “The Poison Squad” is a compelling look at all the junk that was put onto food before we had government protections.

[CharonY]

10 minutes ago, swansont said:

Plus food quality; Deborah Blum’s “The Poison Squad” is a compelling look at all the junk that was put onto food before we had government protections.

Excellent point. Heavy metal poisoning is also a big one.

[Sensei]

28 minutes ago, swansont said:

Plus food quality; Deborah Blum’s “The Poison Squad” is a compelling look at all the junk that was put onto food before we had government protections.

If the quality of food is better now than in the past, why you have obesity disease in the US now... ?

[CharonY]

Non sequitur. Contamination of food has little to do with overall calories or calorie intake. The only argument I can see is describing sugar as a contaminant. Even then, I would choose sugar over lead (as the former is easier to control at a given caloric intake).

 

[zapatos]

Health care in general. A hundred years ago when you got a gnarly protrusion growing on your face you likely did nothing about it. Nowadays you might spend 10 minutes with the dermatologist who freezes it off.

[swansont]

2 hours ago, Sensei said:

If the quality of food is better now than in the past, why you have obesity disease in the US now... ?

If you read the book, you’d probably not be making this connection. Obesity probably isn’t from removing chalk and formaldehyde from milk (and adopting pasteurization) or removing borax or copper sulfate from canned food. 

And your obesity trend is decades later.