Poverty negatively translates into faster ageing

People age biologically at different rates. This is especially true for people with the lowest socioeconomic status, who age faster. The scissors between rich and poor in this respect open up at the age of 20 and this trend continues into upper middle age, when inequalities in biological ageing reach their peak. This is according to a study co-authored by Andrea Dalecká of the National Institute of SYRI and Masaryk University.

Biological ageing is a process of natural changes in the functionality of cells, tissues and organs, manifested by a gradual decline in physiological and cognitive functions. However, individuals experience the decline with different dynamics, and therefore, for example, people in their fifties may be biologically aged differently. The SYRI researcher and colleagues collated data from 48,348 people in the age range 20-84 years and calculated the value of biological age based on 11 available biomarkers. „If the value of biological age is higher than the value of chronological age, we talk about accelerated biological ageing," Dalecká explained.

„The results of the study showed a statistically significant association between socioeconomic status and the rate of biological ageing. Individuals from higher socioeconomic strata showed a significant delay in biological ageing, especially in middle age, while socioeconomically disadvantaged groups aged faster," Dalecká said, adding that people who can be associated with poverty are the worst off.

Read more: Living in poverty and accelerated biological aging: evidence from population-representative sample of U.S. adults