Black Americans are biologically three years older than their white counterparts — a health gap that only grows worse over the years, according to a new study conducted at USC

Researchers analyzed 7,644 Americans aged 30 and older, 11% of whom were black and the rest white, who had filled out lifestyle surveys and undergone physical exams about 20 years ago. The study considered ten biomarkers (including total cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and systolic blood pressure) to figure their "biological age," which came to an average of 53.16 years for blacks and 49.84 years for whites. The age gap grew closer — to 52.72 for blacks and 49.89 for whites — when socioeconomic position and health behaviors were considered, but that's still a 3-year difference.