Middle age is the period of life beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the Average life span of Human beings and thus the end of the human life cycle. Various attempts have been made to define this age, which is around the third quarter of the average life span of human beings. Life expectancy is the average number of years of life remaining at a given age Human beings, humans or man (Origin 1590–1600 L homō man OL hemō the earthly one (see Humus
According to Collins Dictionary, this is ". HarperCollins is a Publishing company owned by News Corporation. . . usually considered to occur approximately between the ages of 40 and 60".
The OED gives a similar definition but with a later start point ". The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English . . the period between youth and old age, about 45 to 60".
The US Census lists middle age as including both the age categories 35 to 44 and 45 to 54, while Erik Erikson sees it ending a little later and defines middle adulthood as between 40 and 65. Erik Homburger Erikson ( June 15, 1902 – May 12, 1994) was born in Frankfurt to Danish parents but later obtained
In many Western societies, this is seen to be the period of life in which a person is expected to have settled down in terms of their sense of identity and place in the world, be raising a family, and have established career stability. Family denotes a group of People affiliated by consanguinity affinity or co-residence Career is a term defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as an individual's "course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life" It is also a period often associated with the potential onset of mid-life crisis. Midlife crisis is a term used in Western societies to describe a period of dramatic self-doubt that is felt by some individuals in the "middle years" of life as a
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Health
Middle-aged adults often show visible signs of aging such as loss of skin elasticity and graying of the hair. Ageing or aging (American English is the accumulation of changes in an organism The skin is the outer covering of living tissue of an animal (or plant Hair color is the pigmentation of hair follicles due to the two types of melanin Eumelanin and Phaeomelanin. Physical fitness usually wanes, with a 5-10 kg (10-20 lb) accumulation of body fat, reduction in aerobic performance and a decrease in maximal heart rate. Physical fitness is used in two close meanings general fitness (a state of Health and well-being and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability Strength and flexibility also decrease throughout middle age. Flexibility is the absolute range of movement in a joint or series of joints and muscles that is attainable in a momentary effort with the help of a partner or a piece of equipment However, people age at different rates and there can be large differences between individuals of the same age. [1]
Female fertility declines significantly after age 30, and an advanced maternal age increases the risk of a child being born with some disorders such as Down’s Syndrome. Fertility is the natural capability of giving life As a measure "Fertility Rate" is the number of children born per couple person or population The maternal age effect describes the exponentially increasing risks for numerical chromosomal abnormalities among a prospective mother's Gametes as she ages Down syndrome, Down's syndrome, or trisomy 21 is a Chromosomal disorder caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. Some conditions are also correlated with advanced paternal age. The paternal age effect describes the influence that a father's age has on the chances of conferring a Genetic defect to his offspring Most women go through the menopause, which ends natural fertility, in their late 40s or 50s. Menopause is the permanent shutting down of the female Reproductive system, a considerable length of time before the end of the lifespan [2]
In developed countries, yearly mortality begins to increase from age 40 onwards, mainly due to age-related health problems such as heart disease and cancer. The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors Heart disease is an Umbrella term for a variety for different diseases affecting the Heart. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled [3] [4] However, the majority of middle-aged people in industrialized nations can expect to live into old age. Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the Average life span of Human beings and thus the end of the human life cycle. Life expectancy in developing countries is much lower and the risk of death at all ages is higher. Life expectancy is the average number of years of life remaining at a given age Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties [3]
The prime of life
Some people [5] challenge the concept that middle age is something to dread. They assert that with the right attitude and careful planning, middle age can be truly a person's best years. Those age-positive groups range from advocacy groups such as the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to purely social clubs like the Red Hat Society. For the AppleTalk protocol developed by Apple Computer, see AppleTalk address resolution protocol (AARP Definition In the absence of agreement about its meaning the term "social" is used in many different senses referring among other things to attitudes The Red Hat Society (RHS is a social organization founded in 1998 for women over 50
Further listening
- Does Age Quash Our Spirit of Adventure?, a segment on NPR's "All Things Considered" on an aging study done by middle-age neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky
- Ali Khan, Living Fully at Forty and Beyond
See also
References
- Collins Concise Dictionary 4th edition 1999 Collins (an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers) Glasgow ISBN 0004722574
- http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/middleage?view=uk
- LifeTwo
- ^ Shephard, Roy J. All Things Considered (ATC is a news radio program in the United States broadcast on the National Public Radio network Robert Maurice Sapolsky (born 1957) is the John A and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor of Biological Sciences and Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences and by courtesy Youth is the period from infancy or childhood to maturity Usage Around the world the terms "youth" " Adolescent " "teenager" and Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the Average life span of Human beings and thus the end of the human life cycle. Ageing or aging (American English is the accumulation of changes in an organism Midlife crisis is a term used in Western societies to describe a period of dramatic self-doubt that is felt by some individuals in the "middle years" of life as a (7 March 1998). "Aging and Exercise". Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine and Science. T. D. Fahey.
- ^ BBC medical notes
- ^ a b Life Expectancy Profiles. BBC (6th June 2005). Retrieved on 2007-06-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire.
- ^ UK cancer mortality statistics by age. Cancer Research UK (May 2007). Retrieved on 2007-06-26. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire.
- ^ Saga
| Preceded by Young Adult |
Stages of human development Middle age |
Succeeded by Old age |
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