The Newcastle 85+ Study: Biological, Clinical and Psychosocial Factors Associated with Healthy Ageing

Nine out of ten people asked to join a pilot study of 85-year-olds in Newcastle agreed to take part, and the full study now aims to recruit 800 participants to investigate what keeps people healthy into very old age. Life expectancy in the UK rises by two years each decade, but living longer does not guarantee living well. The factors that shape healthy ageing—nutrition, lifestyle, socioeconomic background, and genetics—are poorly understood in the oldest age group. Most research focuses on younger seniors, leaving those over 85, the fastest-growing demographic, largely unstudied. The Newcastle 85+ Study will collect detailed health data from people turning 85, including physical function tests such as mobility and grip strength, alongside blood samples for cellular ageing and genetic analysis. The research is embedded in Newcastle University’s Institute for Ageing and Health, with support from NHS Trusts, Social Services, and charities like Age Concern and Help the Aged. If successful, the study will produce a comprehensive picture of what biological, clinical, and social factors allow some people to remain healthy into their late eighties and beyond. This could inform public health strategies, social care planning, and clinical guidelines tailored to the very old—a group whose needs are currently met largely by guesswork.