The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing - TILDA

16/01/2026

Our Principal Investigator, Professor Rose Anne Kenny, recently appeared on Episode 6 of Reset Your Health with Jamie Oliver, titled “Ageing Disgracefully”, as part of an exciting series exploring how we can rethink health across the life course.

Drawing on over two decades of research from TILDA at Trinity College Dublin, Rose Anne and Jamie discuss how factors such as creativity, purpose, social connection and community, physical activity, good sleep, and having a positive attitude can enhance "wellspan" and healthier ageing.

The conversation reflects the strength of interdisciplinary research and collaboration and the importance of translating ageing research into ideas that resonate beyond academia, informing how we think about ageing at a population level and as individuals.

Check it out on Audible

Trinity College Dublin
Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health
Health Research Board
The Atlantic Philanthropies
St James's Hospital Dublin
School of Medicine Trinity

15/12/2025

Meet the OG Resident in the Museum Building 🦌 (He's looking great... for a guy who aged without modern science.)
We're in the Museum Building with to remind you that 70-80% of your ageing journey is within your control—a power this magnificent specimen never knew he had. 😉
Tune into the series for the science-backed advice this guy definitely never got.


https://tilda.tcd.ie/reel-ageing/

13/12/2025

Your sleep isn't lazy time: it's repair time! 🧠 Deep sleep is one of your secret weapons for a stronger, healthier future.
Sleep is a regenerative process essential for memory consolidation, lowering stress, clearing metabolic waste from the brain, and regulating your immune system.
TILDA research with Dr shows that poor sleep is linked to cognitive decline and increased disease risk. The good news? Movement and mental well-being are key to getting your rest right!
Watch the full Sleep Series where chats with Dr Scarlett about setting effective sleep goals and why aiming for 7–9 hours a night is non-negotiable for long-term health.

https://tilda.tcd.ie/reel-ageing/Sleep/

12/12/2025

Your future self will thank you for hitting that play button! ✨ Movement is the key to healthy ageing: it helps you start at a higher peak, slow the rate of decline, and maintain independence for longer.

TILDA research confirms that focusing on walking speed and starting resistance training now (yes, as early as your 30s!) is crucial for protecting your brain health and preventing age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia).

Train for your future self—it starts today! Watch the full series on Movement Matters where chats with Dr Ann Monaghan about the latest findings.



https://tilda.tcd.ie/reel-ageing/Physical-activity/

08/12/2025

Feeling the Christmas chaos? 🤯 You're not alone.

This time of year is filled with "Christmassing," and it's easy to get totally wrapped up in the hustle. But as reminds us, taking time for yourself and prioritising connection is critical for your health—now and in the future.

Mind and Resilience: Happiness is Your Health Superpower. Our research shows your mental well-being is tied directly to your physical resilience and lifespan. This isn't just motivation; it's fundamental biology.

Invest in your future self today! Watch the full Mental Wellbeing series with and our researchers now. https://tilda.tcd.ie/reel-ageing/Mental-Wellbeing/

08/12/2025

What if you could change how you age? 🤔 The data says you can. It's not just genetics—it's your sleep, your food, your movement, and your mindset. 🧬🥗🏃‍♂️ We’re breaking down the science of ageing well in our new series with the wonderful @. What’s ONE habit you want to improve next year? Let us know! 👇 Link in Bio

04/12/2025

TILDA PI, Rose Anne Kenny, recently joined Kaye Adams on the How To Be 60 podcast to talk all things "The Truth About Ageing — And the Lies We Tell Ourselves".

This illuminating and fun chat moves beyond anecdotal wellness fads to focus on evidence-based strategies for maximising healthspan. Professor Kenny highlights the most robust and clinically relevant measures of true biological age.

Beyond Epigenetics: A discussion on the limitations of current biological clocks versus the actionable insights provided by established clinical metrics.

Actionable Biomarkers: Emphasis on the utility of accessible and measurable health indicators like blood pressure, cholesterol, VO2 Max, HbA1c — all of which are treatable and derived from high-quality research.

Future of Ageing: Exploring the scientific rationale behind extending healthspan and the potential for new interventions.

This is essential listening for researchers, clinicians, and anyone interested in the science of ageing.

🔗 Listen back to the full episode:

How To Be 60 with Kaye Adams · Episode

17/11/2025

🎧 Listen back 🎧

Following strong media interest in our newly published BMJ Open paper, “How prevalent are modifiable dementia risk factors in Ireland? A 12-year observational study in community-dwelling older adults,” Prof. Rose Anne Kenny spoke with Ciara Kelly on Newstalk Breakfast last week about the findings and their implications for dementia prevention in Ireland.

🎧 Listen back to the Newstalk Breakfast interview: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UrkykO6HcvAUOGkpQG3nN?si=ia7r0w4iR5u6oV5oq09JKw

This study shows that dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing. Using 12 years of TILDA data, the research team found:
• 70% of adults aged 50+ have at least four modifiable dementia risk factors
• Addressing these risks could significantly reduce or delay dementia onset
• More than 100,000 cases could be prevented over the next decade with targeted interventions

Importantly, this work was led by Clinical Research Fellow and PhD student Dr Caoimhe McGarvey, alongside co-authors Prof. Rose Anne Kenny, Prof Sean Kennelly, Dr Donal Sexton and senior author, Dr Robert Briggs

We are grateful to the entire TILDA team for their rigorous work and look forward to sharing more outcomes from Caoimhe’s ongoing PhD research in the months ahead 👏 👏 👏

Roinn Sláinte, Department of Health
Health Research Board
The Atlantic Philanthropies
Trinity College Dublin Global
St James's Hospital Dublin

Newstalk Breakfast · Episode

13/11/2025

We are delighted to see new TILDA research featured in today’s The Irish Times, highlighting new findings that show how tackling key, treatable risk factors could prevent over 100,000 cases of dementia in Ireland. 🧠

Published in BMJ Open, the study, "How prevalent are modifiable dementia risk factors in Ireland? A 12-year observational study in community-dwelling older adults", led by Dr Caoimhe McGarvey, Clinical Research Fellow at TILDA and Specialist Registrar in Geriatric Medicine at St. James's Hospital, found that:
🔹 Over 70% of adults aged 50 and older in Ireland have at least four modifiable risk factors for dementia.
🔹 Many of these risks — including hearing loss, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, and high cholesterol — are treatable and preventable.
🔹 Early identification and intervention could significantly delay or even prevent dementia onset.

This research underscores a powerful opportunity to act on brain health, supporting healthier, longer lives for older adults in Ireland.

📖 Read the coverage in The Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2025/11/13/tackling-issues-such-as-hearing-loss-and-obesity-could-prevent-100000-dementia-cases-here/

📚 Read the full study in BMJ Open: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/11/e106032

hashtag

Researchers identified that over 70% of adults aged 50 or older in Ireland have at least four treatable risk factors

29/10/2025

In a new article, Dr Irene Mosca explores how Ireland’s migration story has evolved, the policies that shaped its global connections, and the new challenges ahead — from housing pressures to youth emigration and integration.

The piece also draws on findings from TILDA (The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing), showing that returning Irish migrants are more likely to experience social isolation than those who never left.

📖 Read “Beyond the ‘Global Irish’: what are the migration challenges facing Ireland?”

Ireland has turned its experience of large-scale emigration into an asset by actively engaging its diaspora and maintaining strong connections around the world. But with immigration into Ireland at record levels, policy-makers face new challenges.

24/10/2025

🎧 Missed it live? Catch TILDA's Principal Investigator, Prof Rose Anne Kenny speaking with Claire Byrne on about ageing, health, and living well for longer.
An inspiring discussion grounded in evidence from TILDA and more — listen back here 👉 https://bit.ly/4o7hs4H

Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Head of the Ageing Research Programme, Trinity College Dublin

30/09/2025

What a night at European Researchers’ Night 2025 in Trinity!

The TILDA team set up an interactive exhibit in Front Square from 2–8pm where people could:
• Try grip strength tests using newly updated reference values (20+ years)
TILDA

• Take on a balance challenge (single leg stand) — and yes, one of our team held it for 15 minutes!
TILDA

• Play a fun, science-grounded card game — The Lifestyle & Ageing Game — created by Brenda, which lets you see how lifestyle choices can affect your “biological age.”
TILDA

Huge thanks to all our amazing volunteers who helped make the evening run smoothly.

If you missed us this year — don’t worry, we’ll be back and doing even more next time!
https://bit.ly/4nEwvCk