Which of the following best describes physiological age in the context of stress and health?

• A. It refers to how well or poorly your body is functioning relative to your actual chronological age.
• B. It is the number of years a person has been alive.
• C. It is determined solely by genetic factors and cannot be influenced by lifestyle.
• D. It measures the amount of stress a person experiences in a given year.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of chronological age, which is simply the number of years a person has been alive. This is a straightforward measure based on time.
2. Step 2: Recognize that physiological age refers to how well or poorly the body is functioning compared to what is typical for a given chronological age. It reflects the biological condition of the body rather than just the passage of time.
3. Step 3: Consider that physiological age can be influenced by various factors including lifestyle choices, stress levels, health habits, and environmental influences, not just genetics alone.
4. Step 4: Differentiate physiological age from measures of stress, which quantify the amount or impact of stress a person experiences, but do not directly define physiological age.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of physiological age in the context of stress and health is that it refers to how well or poorly your body is functioning relative to your actual chronological age.