Uneasy living conditions make you age 17 days faster per year
Owner aging acceleration is only 3 days
Research has shown that unstable living environments accelerate physical aging more than obesity and smoking.
According to the BBC on the 12th (local time), researchers from the University of Essex and the University of Adelaide in Australia reported in the journal ‘Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health’ that stress caused by an unstable residential environment accelerates biological aging. A paper was recently published showing that it can be done.
Biological aging refers to the decline in the function of body tissues and cells, regardless of actual age.
Researchers collected living environment and health information on 1,420 white British people. Genes (DNA) were analyzed from blood samples to compare and analyze an individual’s biological aging rate.
As a result of the survey, it was found that tenants who rent private housing age about 17 days faster per year than those who experience unemployment, obesity, and smoking. The acceleration of aging was 9.9 days for unemployment, 8.4 days for obesity, and 7.7 days for smoking.
When the living environment became stable, the aging rate decreased.
The acceleration of aging for owner-occupiers was only 3 days per year. Tenants of public rental housing, who are guaranteed a long-term lease and receive a significant portion of their rent subsidized by the government, were found to age 4.8 days faster per year.
Poor living conditions were also found to be one of the causes of accelerated aging.
It was found that environments with small living spaces make people age 5.1 days faster per year. Poor living conditions with lack of heating facilities made people age faster by 8.8 days, and water leaks caused them to age faster by 4.8 days.
Researchers also argued that real estate measures such as rental subsidies can have a positive impact on citizens’ health.
The researchers explained, “Policies that improve housing environments and limit rent increases may be beneficial to individual health.”
Dan Wilson Crow, vice-chairman of Generation Rent, a UK-based housing improvement group, said, “Housing environment is very important to an individual’s health,” adding, “If you are not sure how long you can live at home, your body is under great stress.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.