Middle age is the period of age beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. Various attempts have been made to define this age, which is around the third quarter of the average life span of human beings.
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According to Collins Dictionary, this is "... usually considered to occur approximately between the ages of 40 and 60". The Oxford English Dictionary gives a similar definition but with a later start point "... the period between early adulthood and old age, usually considered as the years from about 45 to 65". The US Census lists middle age as including both the age categories 35 to 44 and 45 to 54, while prominent social scientist, Erik Erikson, sees it ending a little later and defines middle adulthood as between 40 and 65.
Middle-aged adults often show visible signs of aging such as loss of skin elasticity and graying of the hair. 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. Strength and flexibility also decrease throughout middle age. However, people age at different rates and there can be significant differences between individuals of the same age.[1]
Both male and female fertility declines with advancing age.[2][3] Advanced maternal age increases the risk of a child being born with some disorders such as Down syndrome. Advanced paternal age sharply increases the risk of miscarriage, as well as Down syndrome, schizophrenia, autism, decreased intellectual capacity, and bipolar disorder.[4][5][6][7] Most women will experience menopause, which ends natural fertility, in their late 40s or early 50s.[8][9]
In developed countries, yearly mortality begins to increase more noticeably from age 40 onwards, mainly due to age-related health problems such as heart disease and cancer.[10][11] However, the majority of middle-age people in industrialized nations can expect to live into old age. Life expectancy in developing countries is much lower and the risk of death at all ages is higher.[10]
However, well-being involves more than merely physical factors, and middle age is not experienced as a 'time of decline' for healthy people. Middle-aged people benefit from greater life experience than they had when young, which contributes to happiness and makes emotional responses to stress less volatile.
| Preceded by Young Adult |
Stages of human development Middle age |
Succeeded by Old age |
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