Discussion 2: Biological Aging Theories and Longevity This chapter discussed many topics that pertain to longevity. It discussed both the biological and socioeconomic reasoning for longevity in different people. The factors that pertain to longevity are as follows: genetics, gender, race and ethnicity, smoking, genetic and acquired diseases, body weight and height, physical activity, alcohol use, marital status, psychological factors, education, income, occupation, cultural factors, and the physical environment. Each factor that contributes to longevity either affects a person’s physical or mental health. For example, people tend to live long when having a spouse because of the companionship and the feeling of not being alone. This contributes to the mental health of a person. It greatly affects the chances of someone living longer because they don’t feel alone or out of place. Many other studies have shown that in an elderly couple, if one spouse passes away within six months the other’s health will begin to decline and lead to death as well. This further supports the fact that mental health is just as important as physical health to promote longevity. Stress is another factor that can be brought on to someone due to their income, social class, and occupation. Stress leads to many other physical complications and health problems. Many of the factors listed for longevity can be modifiable. Factors such as physical environment, weight, smoking, alcohol use, and physical