Positive social factors prospectively predict younger epigenetic age: Findings from the Health and Retirement Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Positive social factors may slow biological aging, but this has yet to be rigorously tested. This study investigated whether baseline levels or changes over time in social support and contact frequency prospectively predicted epigenetic age.

Method

Health and Retirement Study participants (N = 1912, 46.3 % male, aged 42-87 at baseline) reported longitudinal social support and contact frequency data up to 3 times between 2006 and 2016 and provided blood in 2016. Baseline levels (intercepts) and changes over time (slopes) in social support from and contact frequency with spouses, children, friends, and other family were outputted from multilevel models and used to predict epigenetic age, estimated from Horvath, Hannum, GrimAge, PhenoAge, and Dunedin Pace of Aging.

SUBMITTER: Hillmann AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9898135 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature