Aging
Changes in financial well-being and epigenetic age acceleration in middle-aged and older US adults Sarah E. Weber* Sarah Weber Weber Weber Weber Weber Department of Epidemiology and Center for Trauma and Mental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
Financial insecurity is a common stressor among older adults that may accelerate epigenetic aging, which is the accumulation of DNA-methylation changes that reflect biological aging and predict health outcomes. Research on financial well-being (FWB) and epigenetic aging is limited. Using data from 2,539 adults >50 years in the Health and Retirement Study, we investigated how FWB impacts epigenetic age acceleration.
We measured FWB in 2010 and 2014 or 2012 and 2016 using a validated index (range: 0-8; higher scores=worse FWB). FWB was defined as average score and worsening (increase in 2+ points) or improvement (decrease in 2+ points) over the 4-year period. We assessed epigenetic aging in 2016 with 3 clocks: GrimAge, PhenoAge, and DunedinPoAm38. GrimAge and PhenoAge were calculated as residuals of epigenetic age regressed on chronological age, and DunedinPoAm38 reflects epigenetic years gained per 1 chronological year. We used linear regression to estimate effects of each FWB exposure on each clock, with sequential adjustment for confounders (see Figure 1 footnote).
The mean average FWB score was 1.4; 8% had worsening and 12% improving FWB. Across all clocks, higher average FWB score was associated with faster epigenetic age acceleration in models adjusted for sociodemographics, but results attenuated after adjusting for baseline health behaviors and conditions (e.g., GrimAge model 1: b=0.261 years of greater epigenetic aging per 1-unit increase in average FWB score, 95% CI 0.133-0.389 vs. model 3: b=0.019, 95% CI -0.101-0.139). Estimates for FWB improvement and worsening were imprecise and inconsistently patterned, suggesting no associations with epigenetic aging.
The association between poor FWB and epigenetic aging was largely attenuated after adjusting for baseline health factors. Future work disentangling life course roles of socioeconomic status and health is critical for determining whether improving financial security can meaningfully slow biological aging.
