Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Healthy Aging

Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Healthy Aging

From Mayo Clinic Talks by Mayo Clinic

April 7, 2026 · 29 min · Episode 656

About this episode

This episode discusses the concept of healthy aging and the factors influencing it with Dr. Robert Pignolo.

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. Guest: Robert Pignolo, M.D., Ph.D. Our population is aging as our life expectancy increases with time. In general, we’re living longer than those before us. Aging is an interesting concept; we all want to achieve old age, but it’s not something we look forward to. What we really want is to maintain our physical, mental and social well-being in order to achieve a high quality of life as we age. I’m talking about healthy aging and that’s the topic of this podcast. What degree of healthy aging is due to genetic factors vs. intentional choices we make during our life? Which lifestyle behaviors are most important in achieving healthy aging, and what can we learn from those who have lived exceptionally long lives? These are some of the questions I’ll be asking my guest, Dr. Robert Pignolo, an internist and named professor of geriatric medicine in the Center of Aging at the Mayo Clinic. This episode of Mayo Clinic Talks is the second of three podcasts celebrating a remarkable milestone in Mayo Clinic’s history – the 100th anniversary in April this year of our renowned journal, Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Proceedings first appeared in April 1926 and has been in…

People in this episode

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.

Guest: Robert Pignolo, M.D., Ph.D.

Topics covered

  • healthy aging
  • lifestyle behaviors
  • geriatric medicine
  • quality of life
  • aging population

Keywords

  • healthy aging
  • lifestyle choices
  • geriatric medicine
  • quality of life
  • aging

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mayo Clinic

Books & works: Mayo Clinic Proceedings

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