[Functionality and health: a typology of aging in Mexico]

To analyze present conditions of aging in Mexico within the scope of health status and risk factors.

Four types of aging are depicted: ideal, active, habitual and pathological. Indicators include chronic diseases, cognitive impairments, functional capacity, health self-assessment, consumption of alcohol and tobacco and physical activity. Data come from the survey of the population 50 years and older in the 2001 Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS).

Findings corroborate the relations between aging and each one of the variables studied, but even more importantly, they indicate a typology that combines all variables in a single index.

The typology that resulted from this study provides guidelines for delimiting the factors that lead to aging under good conditions and, therefore, suggests interventions and plans for good health and wellbeing, although it also indicates that pathological aging can occur at an early age. In addition, new research topics arose.