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This study aims to measure and analyze population aging in Brazil by combining chronological age and characteristics of population subgroups according to geographic region and sex. Using these indicators, the study advances the application of the relative age concept based on a physiological indicator related to the aging process. The data analyzed were drawn from the 2015 Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging. Variables analyzed included age, sex, region of residence (North, Northeast, Central-West, Southeast, and South), handgrip strength, and body mass index. The results indicate that individuals in the North and Northeast experience faster functional aging according to relative age estimates based on handgrip strength. Among women in these regions, the gap between relative and chronological age reaches up to 9.3 years. These findings highlight regional inequalities in aging and support the use of relative age as a composite indicator for monitoring and planning health policies.
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Gonçalves et al. (2026) studied this question.
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