What is the concept that allows individuals to reduce disease risk and slow age-related decline through wise choices?

The concept that allows individuals to reduce disease risk and slow age-related decline through wise choices is known as successful aging. This term encompasses a holistic approach to aging that emphasizes not just the absence of disease but also maintaining physical, mental, and social well-being. Successful aging promotes making informed lifestyle choices, such as engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a balanced diet, fostering social connections, and keeping mentally active.

By focusing on these aspects, individuals can enhance their quality of life and potentially increase their lifespan. This concept contrasts with ideas of normal aging, which may imply a passive acceptance of decline, or preventative aging, which suggests merely avoiding disease without a comprehensive view of well-being. Active aging emphasizes participation in social, economic, and cultural activities while maintaining health, but successful aging incorporates broader aspects of physical and mental health into the definitions of aging well. Thus, the notion of successful aging is grounded in proactive and wise decision-making that fosters longevity and a higher quality of life as one ages.