NoNot only individual factors such as genetics and daily habits: also the neighborhood you live in can affect how quickly your body ages. This is highlighted by a study by New York University School of Global Public Health. Research has shown that People living in neighborhoods with fewer educational, environmental and economic opportunities age faster.
The study and role of “low opportunity neighborhoods”
The researchers examined data from 1,215 adults in the United Statescrossing environmental and socioeconomic indicators of the places of residence. From air and water quality to income, education and access to servicesa clear fact emerges: living in disadvantaged areas is associated with faster cellular aging.
CDKN2A and “zombie cells”
At the center of the analysis is the CDKN2A RNA biomarkerlinked to cellular senescence. These are damaged cells that stop dividing but are not eliminated, accumulating in the tissues and fueling inflammatory processes. For this reason they are also defined as “zombie cells”, associates aging and various pathologies.
Social stress becomes biology
The data shows higher levels of the biomarker in people living in low-opportunity neighborhoods. “Factors related to income, employment and housing are not isolated episodes, but constant conditions that define daily life,” he explains Adolfo Cuevassenior author of the study. Economic and social stress thus becomes an element that is biologically imprinted over time.
Improving neighborhoods to improve health
The implications go beyond the research: Improving neighborhoods in terms of services, jobs and infrastructure could promote healthier aging and reduce inequalities. Because urban space is increasingly not only the place of daily life, but also a fdetermining factor in health over time.
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