Unstable Childhood, Adult Adversity, and Smoking Accelerate Biological Aging Among Middle-Age African Americans: Similar Findings for GrimAge and PoAm. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Simons, Ronald L.; Ong, Mei Ling; Lei, Man-Kit; Klopack, Eric; Berg, Mark; Zhang, Yue; Philibert, Robert; Beach, Steven S. R.
• Is Part Of: Journal of aging and health. Volume 34:Number 4/5(2022)
• Page Start: 487
• Page End: 498
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: early life conditions -- epigenetic clocks -- socioeconomic status -- lifecourse -- African Americans; Older people -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1177/08982643211043668
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0898-2643

Abstract

Objectives: The recent biological clocks GrimAge and PoAm are robust predictors of morbidity and mortality. Little research, however, has investigated the factors that influence their ticking speed. No study has used multivariate analyses to examine whether childhood adversity, adult hardship, lifestyle practices, or some combination of these factors best explains acceleration of these indices.Methods: Using a sample of 506 middle-age African Americans, the present study investigated the extent to which childhood instability, adult adversity, and lifestyle predict accelerated GrimAge and PoAm.Results: The two clocks were highly correlated and the pattern of findings was very similar for the two measures. Childhood instability, adult financial hardship, and smoking were significant predictors of both clocks.Discussion: The findings support a life course perspective where both the long arm of childhood as well as later life conditions influence speed of aging. Similar results across the two clocks enhance confidence in the findings.