Racial and ethnic differences in epigenetic aging: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2002.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Accelerated biological aging due to differences in socially patterned exposures has been proposed as a mechanism underlying racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality. Research exploring this hypothesis has been limited by a lack of consensus regarding the measurement of biological aging.

Objective

The goal of this study is to examine self-reported race and ethnicity as a predictor of 13 measures of epigenetic aging.

Methods

Data are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999-2002), a nationally representative study of US residents aged two months and older. The analytic sample includes 2,402 adults aged 50-84 with epigenetic data. The exposure is self-reported race and ethnicity, and the outcomes are 13 measures of epigen

SUBMITTER: Needham BL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12266396 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature