Gerontologists named factors associated with accelerated aging
Living in deprived areas of the city and having symptoms of depression have been linked to premature aging.Researchers at McMaster University used DNA methylation (epigenetic clock) analysis to study aging at the cellular level and estimate the difference between chronological and biological age. The analysis showed that living in areas of high poverty and symptoms of depression accelerate aging.
Gerontologists examined epigenetic and medical data and environmental factors for 1,445 participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging. This is a large-scale research project involving more than 50,000 participants between the ages of 45 and 85 at the time of follow-up.
Depressive symptoms in the study were measured using a standardized 10-item depression scale. The researchers found a one-month increase in the risk of death for every increase in the depression symptom scale score. They hypothesized that the emotional stress caused by depression could lead to more biological deterioration and dysregulation of physiological systems, which, in turn, could lead to premature aging.
The second factor that influenced the rate of aging was material and social deprivation. By the first, researchers understand people's inability to access various modern goods and conveniences: adequate housing, quality food, cars, high-speed Internet or recreational areas. Social deprivation - the availability of fewer social resources in the family and community.
Researchers found that for participants who were more deprived because of their neighborhood, the risk of death increased by almost one year compared to prosperous neighborhoods. Environmental factors and depression were separate and unrelated.